In this week’s column, Isle of Man Arts Council highlights the summer concerts people can enjoy at the Villa Marina Arcade.

The Summer Music Season of concerts in the Villa Marina Arcade have been welcomed back for 2024.

Featuring ten of the Island’s most loved Brass Bands and nine players of the Mighty Wurlitzer, the Summer Music Season will see 43 performances running from June to August.

With a programme including a mix of traditional brass, film soundtrack, classical favourites and arrangements of pop music, the concerts aim to introduce brass music to new audiences while providing much loved entertainment to dedicated fans.

The concert series is an initiative by the Isle of Man Arts Council, bringing these traditional summer concerts free of charge to the residents and tourists of the Isle of Man over the summer months.

Showcasing the beautiful architecture of the Villa Marina Arcade, the concerts come as part of an annual programme of events and workshops known as “Arts in the Arcade” which also include Christmas workshops and other initiatives throughout the year.

Developed by the Arts Development Team within Culture Division since 2009, nearly 2,000 people attended the summer concerts in 2023.

Chair of the Isle of Man Arts Council Sarah Maltby MHK said: “Our Island has always produced exceptional talent when it comes to music and we are looking forward to another busy year with audiences enjoying some of the finest brass bands the island has to offer.”

In addition to the free brass band concerts, the summer music series also includes lunch time performances of the mighty Wurlitzer Organ. An instrument which reflects the golden age of tourism, the Wurlitzer transports the audience back to a time of donkey rides and deckchairs.

The organ was built in the 1920s in the USA, contains 754 pipes and weighs approximately 10 tonnes. The Style 200 Special model that resides in the Villa Marina Arcade is a sister instrument to the famous Tower Ballroom organ in Blackpool.

Concerts are performed by special guest players who regularly play on Island and across the UK, supported by the Friends of the Wurlitzer charity

Concerts run through to Thursday, August 29 and are free to attend. Tuesday and Thursday evening brass band concerts begin at 8pm, Wednesday lunchtime Wurlitzer concerts are at 1pm, with Sunday brass band performances begin at 3pm.

This evening Phil Kelsall will be playing the mighty Wurlitzer organ. Phil has been principal organist at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom since 1977.

He tours the UK and internationally from October to May each year when he starts back at the Tower Ballroom for the summer season. He has received numerous awards including an MBE in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to music.

The concert will start at 7.30pm and will include a wide variety of music from across the decades.

Tickets are priced at only £12 can be secured in advance at villagaiety.com/philkelsall or by calling the Villa Marina Box Office on 600555.

For more information you can visit www.iomarts.com for a full line up of dates and performers throughout the summer.