Following the performance of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain at the Royal College of Music on the weekend, the famous venue plays host to another ensemble packed with young stars — although this time it is from Germany.

Junge Blaserphilharmonie NRW is the official youth wind ensemble of the Nordrhein-Westfalen region, which includes the cities of Dortmund, Düsseldorf and Cologne.

Brass band movement

Over the years it has also provided brass players from the emerging German brass band movement with the opportunity to perform at a very high level, thanks to the involvement of well known trombonist Christopher Houlding who is its assistant conductor.

For their short tour under the baton of Music Director Tobias Schutte the ensemble has already performed at the Great Hall at the University of Reading, whilst later this week they will take to the stage at the Royal College of Music (Thursday 14th August — 5.00pm), followed on Friday 15th August at Southwark Cathedral London (1.30pm).

Several brass bands

Chris Houlding told 4BR: "Tobias is an inspirational musician and former trombone student of mine who also conducts several brass bands in our region.

Many of the brass and percussion players in the ensemble also play in local brass bands here such as the newly formed Brass Band Essen, Brass Band Duren, Cologne Concert Brass and United Harriet Colliery Band Dortmund."

the tour programme also has a taste of brass banding influences about it, with Philip Sparke's 'Celebration' and 'East Coast Pictures' by Nigel Hess, as well as Johan de Meij's 'Extreme Makeover'4BR

Repertoire links

Chris revealed that the tour programme also has a taste of brass banding influences about it, with Philip Sparke's 'Celebration' and 'East Coast Pictures' by Nigel Hess, as well as Johan de Meij's 'Extreme Makeover'.

In addition audiences can enjoy Ralph Vaughan Williams' 'English Folksong Suite' and Edward Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance No. 4' set against the contrasts in styles with William Byrd's 'Earl of Oxford March', Dimitri Shostakovich's 'Tahiti Trot' and Pascal Horn's 'A Journey to the Blazing Peaks'.

Concerts:

14th August: Royal College of Music London (5.00pm)
15th August: Southwark Cathedral London (1.30pm)

To find out more go to:
https://lje-nrw.de/ensembles/junge-blaeserphilharmonie-nrw/