The Scottish Brass Band Association has announced that its 'Band Start' programme has received a huge partnership boost with news that the French instrument manufacturer Besson has agreed to support the scheme.

In partnership with Creative Scotland's long term 'Youth Music Initiative' as part of their 'Access to Music' programme, 'Band Start' has become a SBBA flagship initiative — and one that has already proved to be hugely successful.

New range of instruments

Besson will now provide the scheme with their new range of Besson 100 student model instruments, with SBBA Education Officer John Boax telling 4BR that the news is a major endorsement of SBBA's commitment to further reinvigorate the grassroots of the Scottish brass banding movement.

"Our thanks go to Ronnie Tennant of Band Supplies for his role in creating this partnership,"John said.

"Support from major retailers and manufactures in this way is such a positive endorsement of the work that is being undertaken by SBBA to promote the 'Access to Music' programme.

This is a huge boost — and one that we are sure will provide extra incentive for bands to start inspiring players of all ages to join a community brass band and enjoy making music."

Delighted

In response Besson spoke of their delight at the partnership: "As the leader in manufacturing instruments for musicians in brass bands the world over, we're delighted to be a partner to SBBA and a leading retailer such as Band Supplies.

By providing younger players with quality instruments we believe we can support the future of banding and enhance the performance of high quality youth ensembles."

Solid foundation

As for Ronnie Tennant of Band Supplies, he believes the partnership shows that Scottish banding is building a solid foundation for future success.

"Like me, Besson admires the proactive work undertaken by the Scottish Brass Band Association at grass roots level — and the way it has embraced the ethos of Creative Scotland's 'Access to Music' programme through its excellent 'Band Start' initiative.

They have been hugely impressed by the results and see this as the type of secure foundation stone on which the future prosperity of banding can be built, both in Scotland and beyond."

By providing younger players with quality instruments we believe we can support the future of banding and enhance the performance of high quality youth ensemblesBesson

Latest recruits

Meanwhile, John Boax revealed that new groups in Dunoon, Stornoway and Cupar will be the first to receive these instruments.

"Our thanks go to Band Supplies and Besson. We were very impressed by the quality of this range of instruments and had no hesitation in agreeing that they should become the preferred choice for the start up groups.

We can't wait to meet up with the new groups and get them started."