Smithills School Senior Brass Band and MD Chris Wormald have accepted an unexpected invitation from the Black Dyke Band and Dr Nicholas Childs, to share a concert at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in June as part of the RNCM 'Brass Band Focus Day.'

Surprise

Commenting on the invitation, Chris told 4BR: "It was a complete surprise to get a call from the Royal Northern College to be told that Nick had asked for Smithills to share the stage with Black Dyke and hoped we were available. The players are ecstatic and couldn’t believe at first that I was telling them the truth."

The players are ecstatic and couldn’t believe at first that I was telling them the truthMD, Chris Wormald

Cried

14 year old principal cornet player Elizabeth Tonge cried when she heard the news. She told 4BR: "I went to see Black Dyke at the Royal Northern with my mum in February and a few days later we went to watch them again in Bury Parish Church. The chance to play in the same concert as Black Dyke is the best thing ever."

The joint Black Dyke and Smithills concert will take place at the RNCM on Saturday 19th June.