Prof Nicholas Childs has told 4BR that he believes that the series of trips made to Japan by Black Dyke since 1979 have led to one of the most important developments of the world wide brass banding movement.

The Queensbury Band will return in 2019 for their third trip to the country, but it was on the Director of Music's most recent trip to work once again with the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music and their Distinguished Professor Takeo Yamamoto, that he felt the lasting impact of those initial pioneering visits could now been both seen and heard.

Firmly established

"I believe brass banding in Japan has moved past a developing stage, and is now firmly established in many areas,"he said.

"I have been very fortunate to travel to Japan on a number of occasions over the past 20 years, and it's now clear it's no longer something new and mysterious, but a long term musical commitment and even a potential career path for many young players.

The aspiration to play in a British style brass band in Japan is now embedded and further enhanced by increasing educational links to the UK in higher education and the affordable regular connections with courses such as the International Brass Band Summer School."

The progress that has been made through the inspirational leadership of Distinguished Professor Takeo Yamamoto and many others has been amazingProf Nicholas Childs

Inspirational leadership

He added: "The progress that has been made through the inspirational leadership of Distinguished Professor Takeo Yamamoto and many others has been amazing.

Those trips by Black Dyke and others sowed seeds that are now coming to fruition. My latest trip proved that without a doubt. I can only imagine where it will lead in the years to come."