Soldiers Charity concert

Which is good news for Chichester.

The band are this year’s performers in the traditional ABF The Soldiers Charity Concert at Chichester Festival Theatre, a key moment in the charity’s annual fund-raising calendar (Sunday, November 20, 7pm).

“We provide a lot of military support for regimental functions and passing out, our bread and butter work,” says Captain Johnson. “We do all the standard military stuff, but our concerts are where we really shine. It’s what the musicians join for.”

Recently they worked with Hayley Westenra, all part of a busy and varied concert workload: “We also did the music for two dancers from English National Youth Ballet.”

It’s such occasions which allow them to span the full range, from the classical repertoire through to big band.

For Captain Johnson, such variety has always been the spice of his military life across his 25 years in army music.

“My euphonium teacher at school was ex-military and he suggested it was a viable career to carry on my music. I was keen at school, and I joined as an euphonium player.

“It has been really varied. I have seen a lot of changes, but it has taken me around the world.”

In fact, he’s freshly back from three weeks in Ethiopia where he was part of the short-term training team training the Ethiopian National Defence Corps’ band, giving them musical training as well as military background and training.

“The living conditions for us were not too bad. They put us up in a hotel. But we were training the band in their conditions which were not as salubrious as things over here!”

But there was a job to do: “They join at 18 with no western musical background and get 18 months training.”

Captain Johnson’s job was to help drive standards up, all part of the musicians’ self-esteem and important too for pride and presentation in their work.

Tickets for the Chichester concert on 01243 781312.