On Sunday 30th November Helston School’s acclaimed Jazz Orchestra travelled to Chepstow to take part in the Regional Heats of the National Concert Band Festival. This year’s band has only being playing together since September, following the annual departure of the senior members to universities.

Wonderful all round playing from the whole band who were “swinging from the word go” was enforced by noteworthy solos from Jamie Graham, baritone sax “Big Swing Face”, Tom Butcher playing alto sax in “Blues for Mr Mellow”, Kimberley Salt’s vocal in “Paper Moon” and Calie Hough on vibraphone in “Around Midnight”. Special mention must be made of the band’s newest member,14 year old Tom Law who joined less than three weeks ago and saved the day by learning the guitar pieces at record speed following an arm injury suffered by HSJO’s Darren Roberts.

The adjudicators described the band’s performance as “stunning” and awarded them a Gold Award. With this Award comes an automatic invitation to the National Finals of this event, held in March next year at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, where they will be pitted against the best of the rest of the school big bands in the UK. Fundraising now starts to raise £2000+ needed to finance the trip commencing by playing at Sainsbury, Truro on 14th December. All dates for performances can be found on www.hsjo.co.uk.