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Bella Tromba at Selfridges

on December 23 2011, by Jo

As Christmas approaches the trumpet really does come to people’s minds as the instrument that most evokes the spirit of Christmas. From Classical Spectacular concerts to Handel’s Messiah the bright, shiny trumpet gets all the big tunes in the festive season.

People often tell me they love the sound of a Salvation Army (SA) Brass Band playing carols in the open air whilst taking a collection for their charitable causes.  The original concept of putting music on the streets was to take worship music outside in order to reach the people that weren’t taking a pew in the local church. Brass instruments were a lot cheaper and more mobile than the church organ. They also provide a great social network for musicians and people of all ages and backgrounds.
The SA often took well known songs and reworked them with new lyrics, translating the secular into the sacred. They have worked their way into the publics imagination to the extent that Mr Bean could base a mimed sketch around it.  I’ve just been waiting for a train home in a cafe and listening to a compilation of famous excerpts from the Nutcracker and carols. Each one had been twisted into a funked up version to the extent that I think people would only recognise the source material subliminally. Arguably it’s the turning of the sacred back to the secular. Whilst I like looking at old music from a new angle it’s always a pleasure to play the traditional and original works too.
This week we have been playing at Selfridges every afternoon bringing live Carols to people at one of London’s most famous and coveted shopping destinations.  It was lovely to talk to passers by who stopped to listen and told us about a particular song that had memories for them. We met a few young trumpeters and had lots of fun dancing with the ‘characters’ that were their to entertain the children (and adults). We managed to sneak in a bit of shopping and celeb spotting during our breaks. Over eight days the quartet members bought a new leather jacket, cat hat, LBD, diamante eyelashes and cosmetics. We took the opportunity to tweet about some of the celebs we glimpsed deliberating over an expensive purchase. 
The best bit was seeing the Sale racks lined up and ready to go onto the shop floor, insider knowledge was a big job perk.

From everyone at Bella Tromba, have a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year.