Woody hits right notes with pupils in Tardebigge - The Redditch Standard

Woody hits right notes with pupils in Tardebigge

Redditch Editorial 15th Oct, 2017   0

A MUSICIAN originally from Redditch was warmly welcomed back when he spent an afternoon with pupils at Tardebigge First School.

Martin Woodford, a former pupil of local organist Dudley Fowkes, visited the school with ‘Woody’s Sound Orchestra’, his community orchestra from Germany, where he now lives.

In 1977 Martin, the former lead trumpet with the James Last Orchestra, moved from Redditch to Germany and in 2000, set up a community orchestra in his new home town of Stelle near Hamburg.

Woody’s Sound Orchestra is a modern wind instrument ensemble with trumpets, trombones, saxophones, clarinets and flutes with drums, percussion, guitar, bass and keyboard. Together they play a mix of rock and pop music, swing, and oldies, but also strings and classical works too.




The orchestra aims to bring young people closer to music and provide an opportunity for professional training.

The group tours Worcestershire every two years and stopped off at St Bartholomew’s Church in Tardebigge where Martin used to practice in his teens.


They spent the afternoon with pupils giving them hands-on experience before giving a fundraising concert for the church.

Sue Atkinson, who organised the event, said: “We had a thoroughly entertaining evening, hearing about the instruments and the type of sound they make.

“Martin was a wonderful host and closed the concert playing a brilliant solo showing his extraordinary talent.

“The children had a very exciting afternoon and the whole place was really bopping.”

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