The excitement is mounting for the twenty two bands who have made it through to the Brass Finals in the National Music for Youth Festival that is taking place in Birmingham this week.

Music for Youth

The Music for Youth website — www.mfy.org.uk describes what Music for Youth is all about:

'Music for Youth is an educational charity with a worldwide reputation for its work in music education. It provides free access to educational and performance opportunities for all kinds of groups of young musicians and audiences through a nationwide series of festivals and concerts.

100,000 young music makers and audience take part in our festivals and concerts every year Two million children, aged from four to twenty-one, have taken part in Music for Youth since 1971.

The Music for Youth year comprises four major events: the Regional Festival Series, the National Festival, the Schools Proms and the Primary Proms'.

Various categories

The festival has all the categories you can imagine: Orchestras, Choirs, Chamber Music, Wind Band and Rock and Pop.

Thursday is Brass day

The schools category gets underway at 10.30 with the Music Centres section starting at 2.25pm and finally The Open Section starts at 6pm with everything being completed by around 9pm.

Serious business

As with all contests, it's one that the bands will take seriously and whilst the organisers make it clear that they are no winners, they do acknowledge the 'Most Outstanding' and 'Highly Commendable' competitors.

Familiar names

Once again there are some familiar bands on show who have competed against each at The Actional Medical Youth Entertainment and National Youth Brass Band Championships. Bolton Youth, Rochdale Borough, Hampshire County Youth, Smithills, Sellers International Youth and Wardle High will all be on performing during the day.

The categories and competitors are as follows:

School — 10.30am

Abraham Darby Brass Band
Fred Longworth High School Brass Band
Lady Manners School Brass Band
Smithills School Senior Brass Band
Tapton School Brass Band
Treorchy Comprehensive School Brass Band
Wardle High School Intermediate Brass Band

Music Centre — 2.25pm

Aylesbury Music Centre Brass Band
Bolton Youth Brass Band
Forest of Dean Area Youth Brass Band
North East Hampshire Area Schools Band
Rochdale Borough Youth Band
Sellers International Youth Band
Southampton Youth Brass Band
Wrexham Schools' Brass Band
Youth Brass 2000

Open — 6pm

Greater Gwent Youth Brass Band
Gwynedd and Mon Youth Brass Band
Hampshire County Youth Band
Junior Guildhall Brass Band
Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band
Telford Youth Brass Band

Tickets and further details

Tickets for entry cost £8 and are available from the Symphony Hall Box Office on 0121 780 3333 and further details about the Brass finals on Thursday can be found on www.mfy.org.uk or by calling 07530567643.