CONCERT AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL RECEIVES AN OVERWHELMING RESPONSE
51st STATE BAND is a concert band with over 100 young musicians performing on stage. They invited Patrick Clahar and Floella Benjamin as guest solos for their Festival Hall concert on 22 March 2010 – a truly inspirational and uplifting event! Read Floella Benjamin’s response to the concert below.
Amazing concert last night. The children were a credit to society – so talented. I loved singing and being part of such a brilliant evening. I wish that this concert at the Festival Hall could have been shown on TV.
Simply amazing and astounding
We loved the concert – It was unbelievable. It must have been really exciting!
All the kids were so excited and ours were very proud to be involved. The 51st State Band were great, you are doing such a wonderful thing for all the children.
In year one, my son was diagnosed with autism and at that point he was a very withdrawn boy with few friends and low self -confidence. Due to music and your support he now believes he is good at something and enjoys playing so much. It has given him confidence to be able to make friends and join in – Band has been fantastic for that. As a parent with no music skills, it has been a venture into a new world and a godsend. You are doing fantastic work with the children and I really appreciate it.
I am writing to thank you both for your involvement and input into the concert on Monday night. I felt very proud and moved to see so many young people take part from very different backgrounds and abilities.
I greatly enjoyed the concert at the RFH on Monday last. It was very impressive to see such enthusiasm from children who might never have had the chance to hold and play a musical instrument, much less perform in concert in such a setting. I imagine there will be many who will feel sufficiently inspired to continue either listening to music or better still to continue taking instruction and perhaps become performers themselves at some level. It was all so worthwhile and I believe I can understand something of your motivation in doing the work.