Foden's Band has enjoyed a huge boost to their future musical plans after it was announced that they have secured a major award from Arts Council England through its 'Grants for the Arts' funding stream.

The grant, using public funding by Arts Council England, is worth £31,020 towards a total project cost of £84,534, and will support the band's three-year strategic music and audience development plan.

Youth Festival

4BR understands that it will help develop an annual weekend Foden's Youth Festival each year, as well as further develop Foden's website through targeted player development videos to support young performers.

It will also be utilised to promote a concert and workshop with the famous Wallace Collection ensemble as guest artists, and to promote a joint concert with the world famous orchestral Superbrass ensemble.

Commissions

Foden's Band will also commission composers, Derek Bourgeois and Andy Scott to write a brace of major commissions suitable as test-pieces, which will also be premiered at two key events. The commissions will be recorded on CD as part of the project.

Derek's work will celebrate the band's historic 'Double Hat-trick' of National Championship victories from 1932-34 and again from 1936-38, whilst Andy will commemorate the centenary of the death of the remarkable Foden's principal cornet player Edwin Firth, who was killed during the First World War in 1918, aged 29, whilst serving in France.

The grant, using public funding by Arts Council England, is worth £31,020 towards a total project cost of £84,534, and will support the band's three-year strategic music and audience development plan4BR

Develop audiences

Further funding will also be used to help develop audiences by enhancing the band's overall management structure.

Band Manager Mark Wilkinson told 4BR: "This couldn't have come at a better time following the recent devastating fire. A lot of work has been put into the funding application to deliver on the outstanding project ideas."

Strengthening

He added: "We are very excited about the award and we are looking forward to working with such renowned talent as the Wallace Collection, Superbrass, Derek Bourgeois and Andy Scott, as well as further strengthening our connections with youth development which are already critically acclaimed and recognised for their excellence."