Page 50 - Cadet Review Summer 2019

CEY Wing ATC
QAIC CONCERT
by Pilot Officer Adam Waudby
The Wing Concert Band recently performed for the Qualified Aerospace Instructor’s high profile Graduation Dinner. This event has been a highlight on our calendar for over five years now - and we enjoy the relationship we have with the QAIC staff and cadets.
Attracting some high profile diners including
Air Marshal Coville, and many of the Regional Commandants from across the Corps, this year the dinner was held at the Aldwark Manor Hotel. In the Second World War this was the home of the non commissioned aircrew of the bomber squadrons based at RAF Linton on Ouse, so an historic link to the past of the Royal Air Force.
After practicing through the day in Wing Headquarters (much to the amusement of the Wing Executive Officer and his team), the band pulled off an ambitious programme of pieces to entertain the diners as they tucked into their meals. Some cadet band classics (and very apt for the Corps’ most Aerospace related course) were played including Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines, the Dambusters and the RAF March Past, with some more reflective music including the evocative theme from Band of Brothers.
This year saw us have the opportunity to showcase some of our new music as well - including last year’s summer hit of Despacito, and a medley including YMCA, with even the top table attempting to do the dance along with the music.
Something a little bit different for this year - we had decided to have a musical battle, right in the middle of all of the diners. The cult film Deliverance featured a musical play off commonly known as Duelling Banjos - which was recreated by two of the band; Sgt Jake Hewison of 2487 (Easingwold) Squadron on his Tenor Saxophone, and Lance Corporal Annabel Garrod of King Edward VI Grammar School CCF on her Clarinet.
Speaking of the musical battle, L/Cpl Garrod said: “It was an experience I will never forget. I enjoyed “escaping” the band, and it was really fun
It was an experience I will never forget. I enjoyed “escaping” the band, and it was really fun
to bring a slightly competitive side to the evening, and it certainly started some table banging from the audience.” She also added: “Every time I attend a rehearsal or gig with them, I learn something new - I always look forward to the next opportunity”.
After an excellent performance (with a finale of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now getting the audience loudly singing - even after the band had finished playing) the band had the opportunity to visit RAF Coningsby the next day to thank them for their efforts.
The trip was a mystery tour, with cadets only realising where they were going when they arrived - with a quite anticipation for a good day. A tour of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight started the day, with the cadets seeing the Lancaster Bomber, Spitfires and Hurricanes of the flight - with many panels off the aircraft for maintenance allowing the cadets
to see and smell the engineering behind these legendary machines.
After lunch saw the cadets go from the past to the modern day - with a visit to 29 Squadron and their Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. After being shown around the aircraft and having it’s role and capabilities explained - each cadet got the opportunity to sit in the cockpit and then stand up on the wing of the aircraft.
One of the cadets visiting RAF Coningsby was Cdt Lawrence Fowell of 2487 (Easingwold) Squadron, commenting, “It was a great opportunity sitting in Typhoons that not many cadets get and I was really surprised at just how massive it was!”
The Wing Music Officer, Pilot Officer Adam Waudby speaking about the event said: “Once again the cadets did themselves proud. They were presented with a considerable amount of new and difficult music, with limited rehearsal time. Under this pressure they pulled it out of the bag to perform for our colleagues at QAIC”.
50 CADET REVIEW SUMMER 2019