Last Night of the Proms Concert – 2 August 2026

After ten years we were back at the splendid art deco The Centre Ivanhoe for an afternoon concert featuring the Legends of Brass, PLC Pipes and Drums and VicWelsh. Apart from the Union Flag, the hall was also flying flags from Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales.

After the brass band led the capacity audience in singing the national anthems of Great Britain and Australia, all were welcomed by the MC Robert Dugdale. Then the well-drilled PLC bagpipe and drum band made a skirling entrance, marching down the centre of the hall to take up their place in front of the stage. Their four stirring tunes were all drawn from the Scottish/Irish repertoire.

Legends of Brass’ first bracket featured splendid cornet, euphonium and xylophone soloists.

Then VicWelsh launched into Carly Simons’ Let the River Run before Rushan dedicated He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother to the memory of the recently deceased co-founder of our Ballarat chapter, John White. Rushan also rehearsed the audience in their parts for the final choruses of When the Saints, and the bracket finished with the well-known Nessun Dorma.

After interval, and the Legends of Brass Fame and Glory Grand March, the band accompanied the choir on Rachie and Gwahoddiad. The quirky Sosban Fach had the assembled company clapping along before the classic Calon Lân concluded the Welsh songs.

The PLC Pipe Band next delivered another well-calibrated set ending with Scotland the Brave and Waltzing Matilda.

The finale saw MC Robert Dugdale, in great singing voice, deliver the Fantasia on British Sea Songs with brass band, choir and the audience singing together and waving their Union Flags on Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory with a full-throated reprise.

After acknowledgments and thanks, the whole assembly joined up physically with the traditional Auld Lang Syne to great acclaim.