The Henry Fanshawe School in Dronfield recently hosted 40 delegates who participated in a full day of brass and percussion workshops led by Black Dyke Director of Music Prof Nicholas Childs and star tutors Richard Marshall, Gary Curtin, Zoe Hancock, Chris Binns and Adrian Smith.

Composers and beginners

Composer Jonathan Bates also delivered a composition workshop for fifteen Year 10 students, specifically targeted at GCSE composition assignments, whilst Keith Britcliffe tutored a brilliantly enthusiastic group of beginners.

The delegates, whose ages ranged from 8 to 21, also joined Dronfield Genquip Band in rehearsal under Prof Childs for the evening concert in the local Civic Hall which also featured soloists Richard Marshall and Gary Curtin.

Wonderful event

Prof Childs told 4BR: "This was a wonderful event — and our thanks go to Mark Walters who organised the use of his school for the workshops, Carole Hirst for organising and managing the day's events and North East Derbyshire District Council who funded it as part of a 3 year 'Mighty Creatives' initiative funded by Arts Council England.

Being able able to link up with like minded groups and organisations in this way shows that it is becoming an increasingly important part of our musical ethosProf Nicholas Childs

Ethos

He added: "Black Dyke is fully committed to inspiring future generations of young brass band players, and to be able to link up with like minded groups and organisations in this way shows that it is becoming an increasingly important part of our musical ethos."