What is different about Bacchus? We play because we enjoy performing challenging repertoire to a high standard, and we aim to communicate this to our audiences. For our indoor concerts we tend to choose music written originally for wind orchestra: from well-known classical composers such as Grainger, Holst and Vaughan Williams to contemporary masters of the genre such as Philip Sparke, Guy Woolfenden and Nigel Hess.
We also enjoy tackling some quite challenging orchestral works - Bacchus undertook a recording session that included a well-written arrangement of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet suite; and recently accompanied Kevin Ashman in the Trumpet Concerto by Richard Rodney Bennett. The summer months see the orchestra performing outdoors at bandstands and similar around the south east of England, and for these venues some of the subtleties of orchestration can be lost behind the general background noise of trees, cars and children (and rain!). On these occasions we supplement our programme with some popular classics: suites from film scores and musicals, the odd military march or two, and one of our favourite acquisitions, Singin' in the Rain.
We generally give formal indoor concerts during the autumn and spring months, and then perform in bandstands throughout the South East of England during the summer.
