The strings and woodwinds of symphony orchestras often get a chance to show off in various ensemble formats, but not so much the brass and percussion. This concert was different, and in more ways than might be expected.

It could have become a garden-variety concert band performance (not that that’s a bad thing). Instead, the 90-minute program was thoughtfully engaging with music from many eras and styles. Indeed, it was interesting in the way that it showed the versatility of those often quite outspoken instruments.

As should happen, the concert began with a fanfare. But, as was the case with the whole program, this was no ordinary fanfare. Benjamin Britten’s Fanfare for St Edmundsbury is in three sections, written for three trumpets (no conductor). Each gets a solo and then all three join in for the finish. The outer sections are very reminiscent of The Last Post, with the middle one recalling Reveille. The three trumpets (artists’ names were not provided in the program précis) were beautifully crisp and clear without being raucous. In the third section, when all three played, the melodies twisted, turned and intertwined, creating a palette of vivid colours.

Turning...