Hundreds of talented young brass players are currently busy rehearsing ahead of the forthcoming Scottish Youth Brass Band Championships, part of the Scottish Festival of Brass.
A total of 36 bands and ensembles will take part in the event, which is being held at Perth Concert Hall on Saturday, November 21st.
Brass and percussion players of all levels of experience are involved in the competition, which caters for performers aged 12 and under to those in their early 20s.
Numbers and sizes
There is a wonderful turn out of playing talent, with ten bands taking part in the Preparatory Section, with ensembles ranging in size from 11 players to a mammoth 65!
Three bands compete in the Novice Section, with a massive field of 17 bands in the Development Section. There is one entrant each in the Senior and Premier Sections, with four ensembles in the Percussion Section.
Shaping up
Commenting on the event, organiser John Gilmour told 4BR: "Things are really shaping up ahead of the championships. The competition provides an opportunity for young players to come together and show off all their hard work in a really positive environment.
It also gives the young performers an opportunity to meet new friends and catch up with others they have met at events like the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland (NYBBS).
We look forward to welcoming bands, conductors and leaders to Perth for a great day of music making."
Judges
Bands will perform own choice programmes to an adjudication team comprising Glyn Williams, John Doyle, Mike Kilroy and David Frame.
The draw is due to be carried out on November 1st, with the first band taking to the stage at 9.00am on the day.
The competition provides an opportunity for young players to come together and show off all their hard work in a really positive environmentorganiser John Gilmour
Competing bands:
Preparatory Section:
Campbeltown Beginners Band (Katrina Barr)
Campbeltown Junior Band (Gordon Evans MBE)
Galashiels Junior Band (Stuart Black)
Gorbals Youth Band (Lauren McCormack)
Irvine & Dreghorn Youth (John Boax)
Loanhead Brass Roots (Alan Fernie)
Perth & Kinross Junior Band (William McMullan)
Kings Park Junior Brass (Chris Mansfield)
Penicuik Junior Band (Stuart Black)
St David's Budding Brass (Adam Dougherty & Ben Keay)
Novice Section:
Coalburn Bronze (Euan Meikle)
Riverside Youth Band (Mark Good)
St Ronan's Future Band (David Robb)
Development Section:
Abbey Brass (Stuart Black)
Arbroath Instrumental Youth (Ann Ness)
Argyll Brass (Darren Tarn)
Bathgate Youth Band (Andy Shaw)
Dundee Schools Brass Band (Eoin Tonner)
Galashiels Youth Band (Stuart Black)
Hawick Schools Youth Band (Rob Hume)
Kings Park Youth Brass (Alan Pratt)
Kinneil Youth Band (Joanne Hamilton)
Kirkintilloch Youth Band (Neil Robertson)
Levern Valley Community (Brian Dean)
Loanhead Brass Youth (Alan Fernie)
Penicuik Junior Band (Stuart Black)
Perth & Kinross Intermediate (Scott Barker)
Perthshire Youth Brass (David Finlay)
St David's Youth Band (John A Dickson)
Whitburn Youth Band (Caroline Farren)
Senior Section:
Tullis Russell Youth Band (Dean Bromage)
Premier Section:
West Lothian Schools Band (Anne Crookston)
Percussion Section:
Midlothian Training Percussion Ensemble (Barbara Jane Waddell)
Midlothian Percussion Ensemble (Barbara Jane Waddell)
Perth & Kinross Percussion Ensemble (Lynsey Paterson)
South Ayrshire Percussion Ensemble (Gavin Welsh)
