Rushen Silver Band hosted a concert at the Villa Marina to celebrate its 75th anniversary on Saturday.

Attended by more than 300 people, the evening saw a wide variety of music, from brass band marches to Manx folk tunes, the Muppets, Morecambe and Wise’s anthem ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ and a bit of Elvis.

The performance featured both the Rushen Silver Band and the Manx Concert Brass, with the bands coming together to close out the show.

As part of the evening’s events, international tenor horn soloist Sheona White performed two solos with each band, as well as a rendition of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’.

Earlier that day, Sheona also provided a free workshop available to all brass players in the island.

Talking about the workshop, a spokesperson from the band said: ‘Sheona has performed all over the world, and it was a pleasure to be able to bring her lyrical style and outstanding technical competence to the island.

‘She has played with many of the worlds premier brass bands, including Brighouse and Rastrick, Black Dyke and the Yorkshire Building Society Band, with whom she won the All England Masters three times, and represented England at the European Brass Band Association Festival no less than 10 times.

‘More than 40 people attended the workshop, and we heard about Sheona’s career and musical experience, her daily practise routine and techniques and also how she manages performance anxiety.

‘We also saw Sheona’s teaching ability, when she listened to six individuals perform an excerpt of a piece they had prepared and gave them feedback on improving breathing and lyrical playing. The difference she achieved in only a few minutes was incredible.’

Musical director John Kinley said: ‘It was a pleasure to work with such an experienced soloist, and her wonderful playing was a great demonstration to younger players of what they can achieve with practise, using many of Sheona’s methods she taught at the workshop.’

It is 75 years since Rushen Silver Band took its current name, and during this time the band has developed and grown to its current size.

Its development band ‘Ballafesson Brass’ adds a further 30 players to the 35 in the original group, where free tuition is delivered to anyone wanting to learn.

The band mainly performs concerts and public events around the south of the Isle of Man, including at the Erin Arts Centre, St Catherine’s and St Columba’s Churches and on Port Erin Beach.

As well as local performances, the band ventures further afield with performances over the last 20 years in Yorkshire, the Scottish Borders and twice at the Inter-Celtique Festival in Lorient, where it played to more than 10,000 people.

Band chairman Chris Weldon added: ‘The weekend was a fantastic way to celebrate the bands 75th anniversary, with everyone able to learn something and a great musical concert too.

‘We look forward to working with Sheona again in the future, and are hugely grateful for the support we received which allowed this weekend to happen.’