On the 17th of September 2009, the Roberts Bakery Band returned to Bad Schlema in Germany to perform a series of concerts at the 12th European Blasmusikfestival. The audiences, again exceeding 6000, love Roberts as the only 'all brass' band and always give a very warm reception to our dance band-orientated programmes and our Musical Director Colin Cranson.

This was the tenth year that the band has been appearing at the Festival, and this year's performances have been widely acknowledged as some of the best so far. None more so than those of the band's superb soloists: Michael Pollitt on Cornet and Alex Holsgrove on Euphonium.

A selection of photographs are available below, courtesy of friends and members of the band. We hope that you enjoy browsing through them. Links to Youtube clips of the band's performances will be posted as they become available.

We've arrived!: The Roberts Bakery Band on the opening ceremony parade, Friday 18th September

The band strike up on the Friday night with the famous Hubert Bath march 'Out of the Blue'

Principal Cornet Michael Pollitt performs the Mario Lanza classic 'Because'

Michael is joined by Tim Sage and Tom Hancock for the ever-popular 'Bugler's Holiday'

Principal Euphonium Alex Holsgrove brings the roof off with his rendition of 'Grandfather's Clock'

The Trombone Section in black and white... Neil, Ashley, Tony and Gareth

Maximum concentration from Alex!

A view across the nearby town of Schneeberg from the Berghotel Steiger

Another day, another trio... this time its 'Trumpets Wild'

The bass section in full flow...

Colin encourages audience participation in 'Blaze Away'

Colin Cranson and the Roberts Bakery Band take the applause after an afternoon concert performance

Roberts Bakery Band must again express their deepest thanks to to Band Manager Alistair Raisbeck (above, leading the band on the march) for arranging the trip brilliantly, Festival Director Stefan Richter for inviting us to such a fantastic event and translator Dajana Tischer (as our grasp of German is limited!)

As two band members were unavailable to attend, we were fortunate to be able to call on the talents of Neil Twist on Bass Trombone and Richard Hibberts-Caswell on Eb Bass. Both are top class players and good friends of the band.

The band were pleased to see some familiar faces in Margus Kasemaa and Mari Laube from Estonia. It was hoped that the Roberts Bakery Band would finally realise their dream to perform alongside friends from the Parnu Youth Wind Orchestra at the Murtsub Pill Festival in 2010. However with the cost of flights, the band have been forced to look into other alternatives for a foreign tour next year before returning to the European Blasmusikfestival in September 2011.

Schlema 2009 Repertoire

All I Ask of You (Cornet/Euphonium Duet)
Because (Cornet Solo)
Blaze Away
Bugler's Holiday (Cornet Trio)
Death or Glory
Glenn Miller Special
Grandfather's Clock (Euphonium Solo)
Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair (Euphonium Solo)
La Belle Americaine (Euphonium Solo)
Light Walk
Misty (Cornet Solo)
Moonlight Serenade
New York, New York
Old Comrades
Galop from Orpheus in the Underworld
Out of the Blue
Seventy Six Trombones
Shenandoah
Trumpets Wild (Cornet Trio)