A brand new youth band is being formed in Oxfordshire with the hope of attracting youngsters to enjoy brass band music making on a regular basis.

Open rehearsal

Oxfordshire Youth Brass will be holding its first open rehearsal on Sunday 2nd December at Wantage Band Hall (12 noon — 4.00pm) and is looking to attract youngsters aged from 9-18.

The minimum required playing standard is Grade 3 and the band will be rehearsing an exciting mixture of music including 'The Lion King', 'Abba goes Brass' and the classic march, 'Death or Glory'.

The band will rehearse 2-3 times per term at different venues around the county to ensure players and their families can get to rehearsals without too much travelling.

Great opportunities

A spokesperson told 4BR: "We will be organising some opportunities to perform throughout the year and our first public performance will be playing carols in Newbury Marketplace on Sunday 8th December.

We will also be joining another local band at a concert in the spring and the highlight of the year will be our summer residential visit to Longridge Activity Centre in Marlow. We want this to be a great opportunity for young players.

The band, which existed previously as Blewbury Youth Brass, has been running for two years and has already successfully run a tour to Boppard, Germany, and a residential trip to Woodhouse Park, Bristol.

The band has already recruited 19 players for the coming year and we hope many more will come to our Open RehearsalMD, Judith Atkins

Excited

MD, Judith Atkins told 4BR: "The band has already recruited 19 players for the coming year and we hope many more will come to our Open Rehearsal.

We are very excited about the activities planned for the year and hope that all our players will enjoy the opportunity to develop their musical skills and make new friends.

For further details, contact Judith Atkins at: judith.nov.67@gmail.com