Harry Sargeant, a 17-year old pupil from Shrewsbury School and a member of Tewkesbury Town Band, has won the innovative Nook Deighton Challenge as part of the Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival in Coalbrookdale.

Heritage

The competition was set up as part of the UNESCO World Heritage site’s commitment to youth work and to find a young composer who could write a piece to be played at their event later this summer.

Harry’s evocatively named composition ‘Colonel Custard and Major Mustard’ took the honours and the £100 first prize, although such was the high standard of entrants that runner-up Trystan Gifford, who plays in the Abraham Darby School Band, will also have his piece performed too.

Delighted

The Festival takes place at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron on 13th and 14th July, when the talented duo will be presented with certificates to recognise their success.

Harry, who lives in Gloucester told 4BR: "I’m delighted to have won. I have been composing for the cello, my second instrument, for some years and have arranged for brass, but I’ve never composed for brass until now."

4,000 visitors

The weekend long Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival, which attracts over 4,000 visitors, has for the last four years run a workshop for younger players, culminating in a Youth Festival Brass programme slot on Sunday afternoon.

The competition was sponsored by local estate agents Nock Deighton, whose MD Graham Taylor is a noted post horn player. Almost a dozen entries were received and were judged by a panel of local brass band specialists.

I’m delighted to have won. I have been composing for the cello, my second instrument, for some years and have arranged for brass, but I’ve never composed for brass until nowHarry Sargeant

Worthwhile

Festival Chairman, Neil Fury told 4BR: "This has been a very worthwhile exercise and we are proud to be making a contribution to encouraging this aspect of a young musician’s development."

Graham Taylor added: "We were absolutely delighted to have supported the Ironbridge Gorge Brass Band Festival this year in its quest to find a talented young composer from the local region.

We’d like to offer a huge congratulations to Harry Sargeant, and look forward to hearing his music come to life at the festival in July."