A Hitchin brass band has received a generous donation of percussion instruments ahead of a concert this Saturday.

Hitchin Community Brass is a newly-formed section of Hitchin Band, which also includes a senior and youth band.

Hitchin Band – which celebrated its 150th anniversary last summer – took receipt of new percussion instruments this week, following a generous donation from one of their supporters.

Community Brass will show off their new instruments for the first time on Saturday, when they perform at St Mary’s Church as part of the Hitchin Festival.

Band secretary Mike Thorn has spoken of his delight at the donation.

He told the Comet: “We were delighted to be approached by one of our supporters, Nigel Schofield, asking if the band needed any help with new equipment or instruments.

“We talked about a number of options and thought that the best plan would be to enhance our range of percussion instruments.”

The new instruments include tubular bells, clash cymbals, a bell tree and a symphonic gong, and will be used by the band’s ever-growing number of musicians.

Mike believes that the much-welcomed donation will help take the band to the next level.

He said: “There has been a steady rise in standards over recent years, which means we are playing more challenging concert programmes and competition pieces that often need more and more percussion equipment.

“The new instruments will give that extra dimension to the band’s performances.”

Having performed for the first time at Henlow Family Day last Sunday, the brass band’s second concert ‘Hooray for Hollywood’ will see them play classic music from both stage and screen.

You can see the band and the debut of their new instruments at St Mary’s Church on Saturday from 7.30pm, with tickets available on the door.

If you are interested in joining the Hitchin Community Brass, you can find out more by contacting Allan Hooker on 07947 007764.