12-Oct-2007, 06:02 PM
WHERE THERE’S MUCK...
Brass band open doors to public ahead of its title challenge
A local brass band is set to represent the North West of England at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 20 October. After qualifying at the North West Championships in Blackpool back in March, the Leyland Band is now busy rehearsing for the prestigious event which attracts thousands of music lovers from across the world to London each year.
The band’s conductor Russell Gray enthused, ‘Leyland Band is thrilled to be representing the town of Leyland and the North West region at the event. We want to let the people of Leyland hear the band in action before heading to London, so we are holding a free concert and open rehearsal at St Mary’s Church in Leyland on Thursday 18 October. We will play a short concert for everyone before working on and performing Music for Battle Creek – the piece of music that we must play in the Royal Albert Hall only a few days after.’
Gray continued: ‘It’s really important for the band to have the support of the local community behind us. We are incredibly grateful of the support we receive already, but the players are determined to give something back to the community and wanted to hold this free event to let people see how great their local band really is!’
Gray – who played principal cornet when the band was known as the Leyland DAF and BNFL band – is optimistic about the band’s chances this year.
‘The band won the event in 2005 and we have been working hard over the last year, making substantial improvement and attracting some new high profile players. The band achieves a amazingly high standard of performance, despite only having ‘amateur’ status and having many young members in the ranks.’
The band’s youngest player, Matthew White, is only 16 years old, yet he still managed to reach the final of the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Musician of the Year competition this year. Matthew – who hails from Westhoughton – follows in the footsteps of fellow young players Katrina Marzella (23) and Brenden Wheeler (22) who both won the prestigious title in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
Gray enthused, ‘With young and enthusiastic talent like this, the band has high hopes for the contest. We hope we can do the town proud once again.’
See the Leyland Band prepare for its title challenge at St Mary’s Church, Broadfield Walk, Leyland PR25 1PD at 7.30pm on Thursday 18 October. Free entry for all.
web link: www.leylandband.co.uk
Brass band open doors to public ahead of its title challenge
A local brass band is set to represent the North West of England at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 20 October. After qualifying at the North West Championships in Blackpool back in March, the Leyland Band is now busy rehearsing for the prestigious event which attracts thousands of music lovers from across the world to London each year.
The band’s conductor Russell Gray enthused, ‘Leyland Band is thrilled to be representing the town of Leyland and the North West region at the event. We want to let the people of Leyland hear the band in action before heading to London, so we are holding a free concert and open rehearsal at St Mary’s Church in Leyland on Thursday 18 October. We will play a short concert for everyone before working on and performing Music for Battle Creek – the piece of music that we must play in the Royal Albert Hall only a few days after.’
Gray continued: ‘It’s really important for the band to have the support of the local community behind us. We are incredibly grateful of the support we receive already, but the players are determined to give something back to the community and wanted to hold this free event to let people see how great their local band really is!’
Gray – who played principal cornet when the band was known as the Leyland DAF and BNFL band – is optimistic about the band’s chances this year.
‘The band won the event in 2005 and we have been working hard over the last year, making substantial improvement and attracting some new high profile players. The band achieves a amazingly high standard of performance, despite only having ‘amateur’ status and having many young members in the ranks.’
The band’s youngest player, Matthew White, is only 16 years old, yet he still managed to reach the final of the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Musician of the Year competition this year. Matthew – who hails from Westhoughton – follows in the footsteps of fellow young players Katrina Marzella (23) and Brenden Wheeler (22) who both won the prestigious title in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
Gray enthused, ‘With young and enthusiastic talent like this, the band has high hopes for the contest. We hope we can do the town proud once again.’
See the Leyland Band prepare for its title challenge at St Mary’s Church, Broadfield Walk, Leyland PR25 1PD at 7.30pm on Thursday 18 October. Free entry for all.
web link: www.leylandband.co.uk
]).
]