2014 NEW SHOW: Keep The Home Fires Burning

[Admin]

Opus One Music Services
proudly presents our latest show

"Keep The Home Fires Burning"

Saturday, 2 August 2014 from 19:30 to 22:00
The Drill Hall, Amwell End, Ware, SG12 9HP

A commemoration concert marking the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War 1, featuring Opus One Big Band, Ware Brass Band, Ware Choral Society and featured soloists.

Comprising mix of rousing military brass band music, upbeat Glenn Miller era big band swing, unmistakeable close harmony singing and featured set-pieces with authentic costumes, this event will evoke the spirit of the times and serve as a timely reminder of the sacrifices made and the triumph of human spirit over adversity.

Keep the Home Fires burning will commemorate the tragedy, heartache, comradeship and triumph with an unforgettable performance guaranteed to be remembered long after the final echoes of The Last Post have faded.

[Admin]

Jacqueline Barron appearing in Opus One’s fantastic new show
"Keep The Home Fires Burning"

Jacqueline Barron, recognised for her versatility in singing repertoire ranging from operetta and musicals through to contemporary music and jazz, has appeared in London's West End, notably as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, and in a number of touring shows such as The Magic of the West End Musical, Showstoppers and West End Nights! Broadway Lights!

She has made many radio broadcasts and is much in demand in the recording studio, singing incidental music for television and countless Hollywood movies such as The Lord of the Rings, Troy, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter and Shrek Forever After. She has been a soloist with orchestras such as the RPO, London Sinfonietta, RTE Dublin, English Sinfonia and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Jacqueline is much in demand in the recording studio, singing incidental music for television and soundtracks for many major Hollywood films such as Star Wars, Captain America, Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides, Kung Fu Panda, Shrek Forever After, Megamind, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. She spent two weeks in Los Angeles recording the music for Troy. She sings on the musical Nine and has recorded songs for James Horner, Eric Levi, Ennio Morricone and Debbie Wiseman and Alan Hawkshaw. TV credits include Criminal (BBC drama), Poirot, Midsomer Murders, Taggart, Love Soup, Pepys and Innocents. Hers is the voice of the cabaret singer in the film Fade to Black and in Lucitania: Murder on the Atlantic (BBC).

'Jacqueline Barron ... beautiful singing... and was at her best in the haunting 'Pie Jesu' from Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Requiem'
The Chichester Observer

Jacqueline is a soloist on The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber album (All I ask of You and Pie Jesu from the Requiem). She frequently works with the BBC Concert Orchestra including roles in Sondheim's A Little Night Music, Novello's The Dancing Years and on Friday Night is Music Night (BBC Radio 2).

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SELL OUT SHOW TO COMMEMORATE 100 YEARS SINCE THE START OF WORLD WAR ONE

“Keep the Home Fires Burning” one of the major commemorations of the 100th Anniversary of World War 1 played to a sell out crowd on 2nd August in the town of Ware, Hertfordshire. The event was held in the Ware Drill Hall actually a Word War 1 army recruiting station The concert featured the Opus One Swing Band, Ware Brass and Ware Operatic Society as part of a cast of over 80 musicians and actors.

It featured the première of two chorale pieces composed by an American Peter Mitchell from Chicago. The two pieces “In Flanders Field” based on the poem by Canadian surgeon Major John Mc Crea and “On the Beaches of Normandy” had only ever been performed before by the resident choir in Fox Valley near Chicago USA. Despite suffering a stroke 8 weeks before the concert, the composer Peter Mitchell together with eight of his family still managed to make the trip from the USA, although he was not well enough to conduct his work.

The event coordinator and leader of Opus One, Ted Higgins was delighted with the audience response. He said “ I could have sold the show twice over, such was the overwhelming demand for tickets. I hope to take the show on tour as we have four years of World War 1 anniversaries to commemorate so those that could not buy tickets will be able to catch the show at another local venue.”

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Hi Ted,

I think I might have mentioned this before, but I was absolutely gob smacked, I am not the biggest fan of big band music , but your music and the way you performed it was absolutely fantastic, if a person reading this is not a big band follower like me i must be honest I thought standing outside the hall hoping to get donations for poppies and then go home, how wrong can you be, your music was like a magnet, in the finish I took the collecting bucket with me and crept into the back of the hall just as the little refugee went in and I could see tears in peoples eyes it was absolutely wonderful, Ted you must be and should be a very proud man, if you can hold that many people spell bound you are not a band leader you are a magician, please keep me informed if and where you are playing next

A new big band follower providing its Opus one

George Rist
Chairman Ware Royal British Legion

[Admin]

Dear Ted,

Just wanted to thank you for being the inspiration of Saturday's Concert. It was an enormous undertaking and I can well believe it took years to plan and come to fruition.

There were so many threads that had to be pulled together but I think the Night was an outstanding success and you have to be congratulated. One member of the audience said that it should have been on for two nights!!

I had given my family a three line whip as we are always supporting them in their ventures and they always seem to have "other engagements"when we are doing our Concerts. Anyway they did turn out in force and our five year old granddaughter was dancing in the aisle to the Glen Miller music and they all enjoyed the Concert very much.

What courage it must have taken for Peter Mitchell and his family to undertake the long flight from USA so soon after his Stroke. because I was involved with the Hertford & Ware Stroke Club for many years,I spoke to them at some length at the Thursday rehearsal and he seemed very pleased with the way we had performed his music on Saturday. Watching the moving ceremonies on TV, the Flanders Field poem was part of the Service.

Once again many congratulations on the success of "Keep the Home Fires Burning".

Sincerely,

Jill Hanson.

[Admin]

Dear Ted,

We were in the audience last night and would like to congratulate you and all those that took part in a wonderful show. It was an excellent Commemoration to all those that served in the armed forces.

Only the town of Ware could put on such an evening.

I do hope you will give a copy of the DVD to the Ware Museum and Library for their records.

With best wishes,

Barbara and Bob Norris.

[Admin]

AFTER OUR SELL OUT CONCERT IN NOVEMBER 2014 AT WARE DRILL HALL, WE ARE PLEASED TO ACCEPT BOOKINGS TO REPEAT THE SHOW IN 2018.