The enterprising students of Lancaster University Music Society are planning an exciting new venture in the brass band calendar, with their intention to run an entertainment style contest for university brass bands at Lancaster University campus in February next year.

Competing

Richard Evans and Alan Fernie have been booked for the adjudication duties and no less than eight university bands have already stated their intention to compete.

The students are of course hoping for even more ‘Uni’ or ‘Conservatoire’ bands, so anyone interested should contact Max Stannard on m.stannard@lancaster.ac.uk.

Friendly rivalry

Lancaster University Brass Band is a student run organisation and by organising the contest, hope to provide students with an opportunity to continue the fun banding and friendly rivalry they experienced as players in their home bands.

The contest was devised by Max Stannard (a former member of Smithills Schools Senior Band) and Chris Osborn (a formerly player with Ramsey Town).

We aim to encourage University brass bands across the country by making this contest an annual event that everyone will want to be a part ofLaura Hounsome

Competing

Contest treasurer Laura Hounsome (a former member of Enderby Youth Band) told 4BR that the idea came about as many members of Lancaster University Brass Band had been initially surprised to find that most of their Uni Band members had spent years competing against each other in the major Youth Band contests such as Action Medical Research and the National Youth Championships.

Encourage fun

Laura told 4BR: "Many of our friends have carried on playing at their Universities, but many have also given up as there is no band to play with when they go away.

"We aim to encourage University brass bands across the country by making this contest an annual event that everyone will want to be a part of. It will be a fun event with the bands invited to make a weekend of it by stopping over at the University campus after the contest has taken place."