The most important artistic events in the UK brass band calendar takes place on the weekend at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Curated by Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh, the RNCM Brass Band Festival (Friday 24th to Sunday 26th January), includes a series of concerts, showcase events and presentations from leading bands, world class soloists and leading innovators and personalities.

Bands, soloists, presentations

The band's taking part this year include Cory, Foden's, Fairey, Brighouse & Rastrick, Black Dyke and Tredegar, alongside performances from the RNCM Brass BAND, Junior RNCM Brass Band and the Greater Manchester Youth Brass Band.

Featured soloists include Philip Cobb, Les Neish, Daniel Thomas, Kathleen Gaspoz and Ailsa Russell. There is also a 'Young Artist Spotlight' featuring the talents of 2018 and 2019 BrassPass.tv award winners, Thomas Nielsen and Siobhan Bates, a 'Festival Prelude' with the RNCM student quintet 'All Saints Brass' and a RNCM Euphonium & Baritone Ensemble' led by Steven Mead.

Special presentations come in the form of a pre-concert discussion on the future of brass band repertory, a conducting showcase tackling the issue of gender imbalance in the leadership of brass bands, and a panel discussion on the insights and experiences of women in brass bands.

Further information

For further information: https://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2019/1833.asp

For booking details see: http://www.rncm.ac.uk

Friday 24th January:

6.15pm: Festival Prelude
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/festival-prelude/

7.30pm: Foden's Band
Conductors: Michael Fowles and Russell Gray
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/fodens-band/

Saturday 25th January:

10.30am: Greater Manchester Youth Brass Band
Conductor: Mark Peacock
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/greater-manchester-youth-brass/

11.30am: Fairey Band
Conductor: Garry Cutt
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/fairey-band/

1.45pm: RNCM Euphonium and Baritone Ensemble
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/euphonium-baritone-ensemble/

3.00pm: Brighouse & Rastrick Band
Conductor: Russell Gray
Les Neish (tuba)
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/brighouse-and-rastrick-band/

4.45pm: Junior RNCM Brass Band
Conductors: Les Neish (above) and Jon Malaxetxebarria
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/junior-rncm-brass-band/

6.15pm: Meet the Composers
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/brass-repertory-discussion/

7.30pm: Black Dyke Band
Conductor: Nicholas Childs (conductor)
Daniel Thomas (euphonium)
Brett Baker (trombone)
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/black-dyke-band/

Sunday 26th January:

10.00am: RNCM Brass Band
Conductor: Dr David Thornton
Kathleen Gaspoz (cornet)
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/rncm-brass-band/

12.00pm: Young Artist Spotlight
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/young-artist-spotlight/

2.00pm: Conducting Workshop with Halldis Rønning and Mark Heron
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/conducting-showcase/

3.15pm: Tredegar Town Band
Conductor: Ian Porthouse
Philip Cobb (cornet)
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/tredegar-town-band/

5.00pm: Women in Brass Bands: Insights and experience
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/women-in-brass-bands/

6.30pm: Cory Band
Conductor: Philip Harper
Ailsa Russell (tenor horn)
https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/cory-band/