Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band Perform at National Festival

On Wed 14th April, the Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band met at the Colwell Centre to start preparations for their performance at this year’s National Youth Brass Band Championships.  The 49 strong band rehearsed for a full day before leaving for their annual three day residential course at the URDD in Cardiff Bay. 

The GYBB had won last year's intermediate section and now found themselves competing at the very highest level of youth music making in the advanced section of the national finals.  The band were required to perform the set work Laudate Dominum (Gregson) as well as two own choice pieces. 

Our guest conductor, Ian Porthouse, joined the band on Thursday 15^th April to work through the chosen programme.  A full three days of rehearsals proved to pay off as the band performed well at the Wales Millennium Centre on Saturday 17^th April. 

Off to Manchester – On Sunday 18^th April the band left Gloucester for the Royal Northern College of Music.  The finest youth bands in the country were fighting it out to be crowned national champions and I am delighted to announce that the GYBB were awarded a very creditable Silver Award.

The GYBB is only five years old and so much has been achieved in such a short time.  The band are performing and competing at very highest level of youth music making and the dedication and commitment of our young musicians is to be warmly applauded. 

You can catch the band at Youth Makes Music on Wednesday 30^th June. 

Steven Legge