It’s Gold for Macclesfield Youth Brass
Macclesfield Youth Brass Band is celebrating achieving a Gold Award at The National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain held at the Royal Northern College of Music inManchester. The band just missed out on a podium finish in the Intermediate section with a fantastic fourth place out of a huge field of 17 bands, with some travelling from Cornwall and Scotland to challenge for the title.
This is the first time the youth band has attained the coveted Gold standard and it is the highest placing for the band since it first participated in the championships in 2006.
Musical Director Louise Renshaw said;
“We came close two years ago with a Silver Award but to get our first Gold is absolutely fantastic. The band worked very hard to prepare for the competition. They gave it everything on the day and it paid off. I am so proud of them. Macclesfield is very fortunate to have some really great local bands and I hope that our youth band will contribute to ensuring that this tradition continues.”
The 40 strong youth band rehearses every Friday evening at Morton Hall in Macclesfield and as part of their preparation spent a training weekend with the members of the world famous Fairey Band with whom they are also planning a joint concert later in the year.
However, it wasn’t just the Youth Band on show at the Championships, both Macclesfield Junior Band and Macclesfield Training Band also did the town proud with their performances in the Junior band and beginners classes. Louise continues:
“We had two coaches ferrying bands back and forth to the RNCM all day. It was brilliant to have 120 young musicians from MYBB taking to the stage in the most prestigious competition in the youth band calendar. It is a fantastic experience for the youngsters as the atmosphere at the championships is always excellent. I think they all had a great day.”
You can hear all three bands, plus the newly formed MYBB drum corps, in concert at Macclesfield Academy at 7pm on Saturday 19th May 2012. Tickets £4 adults and £2 children, available on the door.
For more information about Macclesfield Youth Brass Band, how to join and where to see them play, visit mybb.org.uk
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