Not one: not two: but three bands come together next week on Wednesday 28 March, as Big Bands 3 returns.

Following on from last year’s highly successful charity concert, the bands of St Edmund’s School and the University of Kent will be joining forces in support of the Jacob Barnes Scholarship Trust.

Jacob ‘Jake’ Barnes, who died aged 21 after a two-year fight against a virulent form of leukemia, was an exceptional talent. He was a scholar at St Edmund’s School, and pianist with the University of Kent Chamber Choir in 2007-08.  Following A-Levels, Jake won a place at the Royal Academy of Music. His name will be remembered by the Jacob Barnes Scholarship, which will be presented annually at the Royal Academy of Music to a young chamber ensemble.

Ian Swatman, conductor of the University Concert and Big Bands and also Head of Instrumental Studies at St Edmund’s School, will be at the helm, which will feature popular repertoire for Concert and Big Bands with guest soloists.

Tickets are priced at £5 and are available from the School box office on 01227 475600.

After the Concert and Big Band’s action-packed concert at the Gulbenkian Theatre last month, this promises to be an exciting event, in aid of a very worthy cause. Support it if you can.