Members of the North East Midlands Youth Brass Band recently meet to celebrate their first anniversary with a workshop day and concert.

Membership has grown from 24 to 58 over the past 12 months, and with funding confirmed for 2018 through the Notts Music Hub, the young players are already looking forward to their next course later in the year.

Inspirational leadership

Tutors for this event were Kirsty Abbotts, Mike Eccles, Brett Baker, Ben Dixon and Adie Smith, with Mike Fowles again providing the inspirational leadership as MD, whilst during the year others such as Richard Marshall, Gary Wyatt, Stan Lippett, Michael Dodd, Chris Houlding, Simon Greswell and Neil Edwards have been involved.

Performing to a packed audience of over 150 supporters, the band opened with 'Prismatic Light', followed by 'Little Hymn' and 'I Will Follow Him', before concluding their set with Alan Fernie's 'Anglian Dances'.

For the finale the young players were joined by Blidworth Welfare Band and concluded an excellent concert with 'Conquest of Paradise' and the encore 'African Funk'.

I was blown away with the standard and that is down to the commitment and expertise of the team involvedNottinghamshire Music Education Hub Manager, Elaine Atkinson

Blown away

Nottinghamshire Music Education Hub Manager, Elaine Atkinson told 4BR: "I was blown away with the standard and that is down to the commitment and expertise of the team involved. It certainly demonstrates how working in partnership can create better opportunities and outcomes for young people."