05 Mar 07 - Nick Goes Solo For Top Brass
Ripon Air Cadet Nick Powell has just returned from a triumphant solo performance to an audience of hundreds, including the cadets' "top man" - the Commandant Air Cadets. The concert, featuring Nick's drum solo was the culmination of a week long course at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell.
Sixteen year old Nick, who attends Ripon Grammar School is a member of 886 (City of Ripon) Squadron Air Training Corps and was joined by 46 other cadet musicians from around the country. Selected from amongst the 35,000 cadets nationwide, they formed the ATC national band for 2007. They spent a week at Cranwell rehearsing with the RAF Regiment Band before staging a concert on the final night.
As well as spending a lot of time rehearsing, the cadets managed to find time to visit RAF Scampton to meet the pilots of The Red Arrows. The visit included a chance to talk to each member of the team as well as the opportunity to watch the pilots practising their display overhead. When talking about the visit Nick said: "I remember asking one of them if it was difficult. He simply said 'yes, very'. They always make it look so easy, it's great to find out that it really isn't!".
The week included first aid training, command and leadership tasks and drill training culminating in a competition at the end of the week. The cadets also attended a "Dining In" night, where they got to experience a formal military dinner with the Air Cadets' Chief of Staff, Group Captain Mike Cross.
The course ended with the concert given on the final night. The invited audience of several hundred people, including Air Commodore Gordon Moulds, Commandant Air Cadets, was treated to pieces from a broad range of genres. As well as the traditional marching songs, the combined ATC and Regiment bands played some more recent tunes, such as Don't Stop Me Now and Sing, Sing, Sing.
Afterwards, Nick said: "The best bit was my solo during the final performance, when everything all came together. I was really nervous going on, but it was an incredible feeling when I was up there." Nick is now the only member of the squadron qualified to wear the Instrumentalist's badge on his brassard.
Ripon squadron is currently recruiting new cadets aged 13 years or older and volunteer adult staff aged 20 and over. They meet at the Cadet Centre on Clotherholme Road every Tuesday and Friday from 7pm - 9.15pm. Anybody interested should contact the squadron on (01765) 609622 or email the commanding officer at oc886squadron@ceyorks.net. Alternatively, contact the national adult staff recruitment line on 0845 600 6601.
ENDS
