Mark Elvin Memorial Concert in Horsham will honour a fine musician (2025)

A fine musician will be remembered at the Mark Elvin Memorial Concert in Horsham.

The concert has been organised by Mark’s friend, Miles Russell, along with members of the ensembles taking part, and is supported by Mark’s wife Chrissy and children Thea and Anya.

Miles is promising music from the sublime to the ridiculous – the Speakeasy Revival Jazz Orchestra in the first half and the Horsham Symphony Orchestra in the second, at Christ's Hospital theatre in Horsham on April 8.

Mark, who was born in 1962, passed away from cancer in April 2024. Profits from the concert will go to Macmillan Cancer Support. Details of the concert and tickets are available at markelvinmemorialconcert.co.uk

“Mark was a prolific musician working as a bass and tuba player nationally and in the West End for over 30 years. He also worked as a composer, arranger and educator along with running his own music publishing company Mucky Herbert Music.

“I had known him for 25 or 30 years and he was a lovely chap. He was always very friendly, always very positive and he always had time for everybody. He was very supportive of other people and we worked together quite a lot over the years. We ended up forming this band, the Speakeasy Revival Jazz Orchestra that drew on the Spike Jones novelty comedy and silly jazz and nonsense type tradition. We formed about ten years ago. We did a show that was a speakeasy 1920s type jazz show and we had a lot of fun so we thought we should put something together properly and the band has been going ever since.

“When Mark died of cancer there was a feeling from the band and other musicians that we wanted to do something, to play at some sort of event together to remember him. It took a bit of time to organise and to find the time when everyone was available so we've ended up doing it almost a year later. The first half will be the Speakeasy Revival Jazz Orchestra playing things that we did together with Mark.

“But Mark was also a composer who composed classical music and composed for Horsham Symphony Orchestra. Steve Dummer who directs the Horsham Symphony Orchestra is also in the Speakeasy Revival Jazz Orchestra, and so I asked Steve if the orchestra would be interested in playing at the event. So the second-half will be the Symphony Orchestra playing a programme of music including music by Mark.”

The orchestra’s programme will feature Mark's orchestral composition On This Day, In This Life. Special guests will include one of the UK's leading tuba players Jonathon Rees.

“And on the night we will talk about Mark and say why we are playing the pieces we are playing and why they're relevant. We want it to be an evening full of memories of him.

“We were thinking about where to do it. The Capitol is just about to close because it's having its refit. I went Christ’s Hospital a long time ago and so I thought it would be nice to play there especially as several of the orchestra teach in the music department there. It seemed a good choice. I got in touch and they have been fantastic.

“Mark's wife Chrissy plays in Horsham Symphony Orchestra as well but she has decided that she does not want to play in this event. She just wants to come along and listen so she will be there and her children and members of the family.”