 The Usk Youth Brass Band visited Usk's Twin Town, Graben-Neudorf, in Germany between 23rd and 29th October. The Band played four performances. Over 60 members of the Band, family and friends, and Usk residents travelled to Graben-Neudorf for the long-awaited return visit. The Band previously visited Germany in 2006, and before that in 1982.
The first performance was just before sunset on the walls of the medieval Heidelberg Castle (see photo on left by Julien Morgan) on Sunday 25th October. An audience gathered around the Band almost as soon as they struck up a note with, at times, local photographers weaving in and out of the players. The next day the Band played their second performance as a lunchtime concert at a the Holiday Park at Hassloch near Speyer, followed by an afternoon of fun in the amusement park.
The first formal concert took place in the evening of Tuesday 27th October at the Landratsamt in Karlsruhe, where the cities Burgermeister welcomed the Band and their supporters to the city during their English Festival Week. The concert was very well received by an audience of around 200. The final concert, on Wednesday 28th October was in Graben-Neudorf's Festhalle, where the Band played to an audience of around 300 and finished with a standing ovation. The Burgermeister welcomed the Band, and renewed commitment to the continued success of the Twinning movement. The concert was followed by a party at the hotel where players, supporters and our German friends socialised.
In 2010, it is the 30th anniversary of the Twinning between Usk and Graben-Neudorf and some of the players may make a return journey for anniversary celebrations, as well as welcoming visitors from Germany.
The Band would like to thank the people of Graben-Neudorf and Karlsruhe for their hospitality during the visit and for helping to arrange the itinerary, and to the people of Usk for their support in helping the Band to raise the funds necessary to make the visit possible. |
 |
Germany 2009 |