Black Dyke principal cornet Richard Marshall will be heading to Rome next month to link up with the reigning European Challenge Section champion, the Italian Brass Band.
Richard was invited after meeting up with MD Filippo Cangiamila when they were adjudicating at the Swiss National Solo Championships, and as he told 4BR, it's a visit he's really looking forward to.
Didn't think twice
"I've been following the band's progress over the last few years and have been fortunate to hear them in action.
As you can imagine you can't really turn down a visit to Rome to play in a brass band, so when Filippo asked I didn't have to think twice about it."
Featured soloist
The weekend (9th -11th February) will see Richard work with the cornet section of the reigning Italian National champion as well as being the featured soloist in a concert to be held at the Auditorium Parco Della Musica in the heart of the Eternal City.
Giovanni Celestino of the Italian Brass Band told 4BR: "We are delighted to welcome Richard to Rome. We are all looking forward to working with such a world class musician and to learn from him. We can promise him a wonderful time."
We are delighted to welcome Richard to Rome. We are all looking forward to working with such a world class musician and to learn from him. We can promise him a wonderful timeGiovanni Celestino of the Italian Brass Band
Busy start to 2018
It will also be the latest European journey in what has been a hectic start to 2018 for the Besson artist, with a recent visit to link up with Manger, Eikanger, Krohnengen and Fjell Bands in Norway as well as three concerts with Black Dyke already under his belt.
"It has been busy, but that's what I like,"he added. "The Norwegian trip was a great way to start the year and it's so good to be able to work with players so keen, enthusiastic and talented.
All that and Black Dyke has started the year in great form with some cracking concerts. It's non-stop now until the Yorkshire Area, but I hope to be able to catch a few of the famous sites of Rome just to make a few Black Dyke players jealous!"