The Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) held a collection of workshops for conductors of advanced level bands, youth bands and lower section bands over the weekend at The Couper Institute in Glasgow.

Eager learners

The event attracted 27 delegates, all eager to benefit from the expertise of the visiting advisers, Allan Withington, Nigel Boddice, Alan Fernie and Lynsey Paterson.

They were also supported by the Co-operative Funeralcare Band and the King’s Park Youth Band (including younger members from the King’s Park Junior Band).

Positive feedback

With positive feedback from the delegates, the weekend proved to be insightful, highly productive and extremely informative, as Andrew Duncan, SBBA’s Development Manager, told 4BR:

"The workshops have been an undoubted success. We wanted to arrange this weekend to ensure that SBBA continues to support its member bands (and others) in all aspects of brass band music making.

It provided an excellent opportunity for conductors at all levels to gain valuable knowledge from the very experienced collection of advisers we invited."

Fantastic

Andrew added: "It’s been a fantastic couple of days and the delegates learned a great deal from the sessions, across a wide variety of topics. In addition to practical conducting skills, the workshops also included a session on percussion and advice on rehearsal techniques, repertoire choice and band motivation.

The feedback has been really positive and we were particularly pleased to see that our introduction of a session on ‘understanding percussion’ for the conductors attending the Youth Band/Lower Section workshops was so well received. I think it’s clarified quite a few musical mysteries!”

It has been a very full and busy schedule, but definitely to the benefit of everyone attending. I believe the bands will see a noticeably positive difference to rehearsals when their conductors return to them!Andrew Duncan

Grateful

He concluded: "On behalf of SBBA, we are extremely grateful to all the advisers for their hard work and the expertise they have shared. We are also very appreciative of the two supporting bands that enabled our delegates to try out their newly gained techniques, putting the theory into practice."

The weekend ended with a public concert featuring the two bands, enabling two delegates to take the baton for part of the performance.

Euro pieces

The 2012 Scottish Champion Co-operative Funeralcare offered an airing of both the test pieces they will be performing at the forthcoming European Brass Band Championships, whilst King’s Park Youth Band and the members of the King’s Park Junior Band, impressed with their entertaining and demanding performance, clearly demonstrating that Scotland’s youth bands are going from strength to strength.

Positive difference

Andrew Duncan added: "It has been a very full and busy schedule, but definitely to the benefit of everyone attending. I believe the bands will see a noticeably positive difference to rehearsals when their conductors return to them!"