On Saturday, 26th April, Ince’s Hall was filled with music to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe. The Royal Gibraltar Regiment Band and Corps of Drums, under the direction of Bandmaster WO1 Benjamin James, performed a varied and entertaining programme to a full audience. 

The first half featured an eclectic mix of musical styles, ranging from traditional fanfares and marches to film scores, pipe tunes, classical favourites, and modern hits. The second half captured the spirit of VE Day through celebratory songs from the era, moments of solemn remembrance, and a rousing finale that had the audience singing and waving their flags. 

Following the National Anthem, the concert opened with Aaron Copland’s iconic Fanfare for the Common Man, originally commissioned to inspire patriotism and national unity during World War II. Inspired by the 1942 speech by U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace proclaiming the “Century of the Common Man,” Copland’s piece honours those who performed heroic deeds on the battlefield. 

Alan Silvestri’s score for The Avengers offered a dynamic shift in style, with its energetic themes enhanced by electric guitar. The bagpipes, known for their stirring and evocative sound in military music, were fittingly represented by Piper Cpl Fortuna from the Corps of Drums, who performed The Rose of Kelvingrove. 

This was followed by a solo from Cpl Sciacaluga on alto saxophone, delivering a reflective rendition of Benedictus from Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. Commissioned to mark the turn of the millennium, the piece reflects on the violence of the 20th century while looking ahead in hope to a more peaceful future. 

In tribute to the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel’s birth, the Band performed his renowned work Bolero, with its hypnotic melody gradually intensifying throughout. Another powerful piece followed: Alec Gould’s V for Victory, which incorporates motifs from Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. The symphony’s famous opening rhythm mirrors the Morse code for the letter “V,” which became a symbol of resistance and victory during World War II. The piece, performed by the Band, echoed the determination of the Allied war effort against Nazi tyranny. 

The second half opened with a medley of wartime songs that evoked the celebrations on Gibraltar’s Main Street, the Alameda Parade Ground, and in Allied cities in 1945. In the Mood by Glenn Miller, Puttin’ on the Ritz by Irving Berlin, and Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again resounded through Ince’s Hall, featuring a special solo by the Band’s tenor saxophonist. 

Sgt Derek Perez performed A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square in what was his final concert, marking 35 years of service with the Royal Gibraltar Regiment. His contribution was recognised with the presentation of a Commanding Officer’s coin by RG Commanding Officer Lt Col Pitto MBE, in appreciation of his dedication to the Band and Regiment. 

A solemn moment of remembrance followed, with the theme from Band of Brothers by Michael Kamen and the sounding of the Sunset bugle call. The concert concluded with a patriotic finale, including The Great Escape, The Dam Busters, Rule Britannia, and Land of Hope and Glory. The audience sang along and waved flags in a joyful and fitting tribute to the 80th anniversary of VE Day.