The festival in 2005 was a great year for jazz enthusiasts who were not only treated to a Jazz Café on Friday evening but on the Saturday evening the world-famous musician and composer, Scott Stroman, conducted his own work, played by the Surrey County Wind Orchestra. At the Friday evening Jazz Café (Friday March 18th 8.30pm) there were jazz bands from Alton College, the Surrey County Youth Jazz Orchestra and the All Hallows School Jazz Band. Smokin’ Notes are a self-directed subset of Alton College’s Jazz Band, which plays a large number of concerts each year, and have recently returned from a tour of France. They pride themselves on their mixture of standard and modern jazz and their enthusiasm for world music. The Surrey County Jazz Orchestra was formed over twenty-five years ago and it has performed all over the county in schools, theatres, jazz clubs and concert halls. This band has also appeared at the Royal Albert Hall, the Barbican and on the South bank. They will be conducted by John Whelan. The All Hallows Jazz Band is a lively group of young musicians led by Mark Banks. The eight members of this band will be travelling just across the town from their school on the outskirts of Farnham to delight us with their enthusiasm and commitment to jazz. Scott Stroman is an American born, multi-facetted musician, accomplished in jazz, classical music and world music. He is a jazz trombonist, a conductor of orchestras and choirs, a noted composer, and a renowned and popular educator. Stroman’s composition for the Farnham Festival,(to be performed on Saturday evening, March 18th, 8.30pm), is “Episodes for Wind Orchestra”. This was first performed at the 1991 Farnham Festival and has been considerably revised and extended for this year’s festival. It will be played by the Surrey County Youth Wind Orchestra, conducted by Scott Stroman himself. For further details on the 2005 festival programme click here. | 
