Aldbourne Band is holding a concert with a French theme in Marlborough on Saturday May 7 at the Theatre on the Hill at St John’s School, having recently qualified for the national brass band championships.

The Vive La France concert doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm. It is themed around the test piece Benvenuto Cellini by Berlioz, which the band will perform at the national Spring Festival in Blackpool the following weekend. Soloist Richard Hughes and guest euphonium player Lyndon Baglin will feature.

The Friends of Aldbourne Band are hoping to present a new soprano cornet bought from recent fund-raising.

New chairman James Sheppard said: “We are looking forward to a great concert. Under the musical direction of David Johnson the band has made great progress and we aim to be promoted from the junior trophy section back into the senior cup section at Blackpool on Saturday May 14.”

The concerts around the village pond begin on Sunday June 5 and will continue on the first Sunday of each month until September.

Tickets for Vive La France at £10 (£7 if a member of the friends) are available in from Aldbourne Post Office; Alan Watson on (01672) 540580 or at St John’s School reception.

To help raise funds for the trip to the national finals at Cheltenham on September 24, musical director David Johnson and bandsman Robert Dodds have gone on sponsored diets. Sponsorship forms are available at concerts.