Premiere Preparations

Ukulele workshop

Preparations are in full flow towards the launch of Richard Durrant’s new band The Burning Deck and the world premiere of of his much anticipated Ukulele Concerto, Six Grooves for Ukulele on Sunday 10 September at Shoreham-by-Sea’s Ropetackle Arts Centre.

This gig is part of a huge project made possible by funding from The PRS for Music Fund, Arts Council England and the Ropetackle. It also happens to be the finale of The Sussex Ukulele Festival.

Richard tells us more about the preparations over the past weekend:

“We started rehearsal work two weeks ago with the first get together of my new string section. We rehearsed at home with the ever present Bollo knocking over music stands with his huge tail. Here he is having a sleep in the foreground.”

Strings and Dog

Strings and Dog

Meanwhile my good friend and stage manager, Matt Hodgson, together with his son Archie have built the Bicyclatter for Stephen Hiscock to play along with his numerous drums, bells and bongos…’

Look at all this bicyclatter in the garden…

Bicyclatter

Bicyclatter

Stephen Hiscock and Howard Beach (keys) joined the strings for a rehearsal last Sunday. This was a big moment as members of the core band joined with the mesmerising sound of the beautiful strings…

Adding Piano & Drums

Adding Piano & Drums

By the coming weekend the band will grow still further as Chris Brannick (percussion), Gareth Huw Davies (bass) and a large group of fellow ukulele players the Antiphonal Ukes join the fun.

We do hope you can make it along to this gig – it’s looking like it’s going to be something rather special!  Not only will this be a really exciting world premiere of a rather unusual new piece I have been working on – but I’m also hoping it will be the first of many outings with the band I have dreamt of forming for over twenty years.

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