TO mark 50 years of the twinning partnership of Kidderminster and Husum, West Mercia Constabulary Band, Kidderminster Valentines and Kidderminster Male Choir combined for a celebratory concert.

Appropriately, the concert began with the national anthems of Great Britain and Germany.

The musicians played a wide selection of items, including one of the best ever written for a brass band - New York, New York, and Canteloube's Shepherd's Song from the Chants d'Auvergne.

The highlight of their performance, however, was when musical director Steve Pritchard-Jones played the solo for Post Horn Galop, mostly from the balcony.

The ladies of Kidderminster Valentines delighted with one of my all-time favourites, All in the April Evening, and an unusual, barber's shop version of Mallotte's setting of The Lord's Prayer. We all joined in with The Carnival is Over, and enjoyed several songs from Les Miserables, such as I Dreamed a Dream, Castle on a Cloud and Bring Him Home.

Kidderminster Male Choir suffered from being too far from their pianist - never a good idea. Musical director for the evening, Derek Westwood, seemed to have problems seeing Maureen Bowkett at the piano, and vice versa, as they were on opposite sides of the stage, separated by the band, and at times had problems with the tempos.

That apart, the choir were, as always, in good voice, and I particularly enjoyed Arise O Sun, to one of Doris Arnold's difficult-to-sing arrangements, Rhythm of Life, and Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Choirs and band combined for the last two items, but the band drowned out the singers somewhat in Speed your Journey.

It is a wonder the town hall still has a ceiling after the final number, Morte Criste, the volume enough surely to raise any roof!

I enjoyed this concert but did feel there was a little too much band and not enough singing!

VJS