The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, the UK’s leading brass ensembles for youngsters aged 12 to 18, has confirmed the concert programme for its concert in Harrogate on 10 August.
Led by orchestral conductor Bramwell Tovey, the 80-strong band will be joined by guest soloist Sheona White, the solo tenor horn player with the world famous Black Dyke Band. Tovey is the artistic director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and on the Monday prior to the concert, is due to conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, one of world’s finest orchestras.
The concert will feature a range of original music for brass band, as well as a number of arrangements and transcriptions. These includes Lucy Pankhurst’s Wired, which was written for Norway’s Oslofjord Band and Simon Dobson, and a work by Canadian composer, Kelly-Marie Murphy called Hartford Accident. Also, marking the centenary of George Lloyd will be his mini epic, Diversions on a Bass Theme.
The concert at Darlington’s Dolphin Centre will follow a week-long residential training course held at Giggleswick School in Settle (3 to 10 August), during which time the youngsters will be coached and tutored by some of the UK’s leading brass and percussion players. These include cornet Phillip McCann (cornet), Mark Wilkinson (cornet), Alan Wycherley (soprano), Glyn Williams (euphonium), Phil Goodwin (tuba) and Simone Rebello (percussion.)
Philip Biggs, the Administrator of the NYBBGB said:
We are hugely looking forward to performing in Darlington. Therefore, if you wish to be inspired and hear some fantastic music making , then please come along.
On Thursday 6 August, the band will also be hosting a free of charge Open Day, a fairly recent innovation which has attracted a number of new players to the band in recent years. Featuring a masterclass, an open rehearsal, the annual solo competition and a question and answer session with Bramwell Tovey, it will take place in Giggleswick between 10am and 4pm.
Guest soloist, Sheona White, added:
‘It is a great honour to be invited by Bramwell Tovey to be guest soloist with the NYBBGB this summer. I am really looking forward to working with this extremely talented and inspirational group of young musicians.
Tickets are priced £12 each and concessions are £10. Tickets are available via philipbiggs@bandstand.demon.co.uk Alternatively, anyone wishing to attend the Open Day should contact Martin Armstrong via armstrong_martin007@hotmail.com
