Composer Colin Harris has won the 2008 Northern Regional Brass Band Trust arrangers competition.

Held recently, the contest was set up to encourage arrangers to submit a piece of music for brass band based on traditional Northern Folk Songs, and to be around 5 minutes in duration.

Geordie Songbook

Colin submitted 'A Geordie Songbook', and took the first prize of £300 in a public performance of competition entries held at the Lamplight Theatre, played by the Tavistock Chester-Le-Street Riverside Band as part of the N.R.B.B.T's brass festival.

Colin's arrangement of 'Geordie' melodies was inspired by the purchase of “Geordie Song Book”, a publication found in a North Shields stationary shop by the arranger many years ago4BR

Inspired

Colin's arrangement of 'Geordie' melodies was inspired by the purchase of “Geordie Song Book”, a publication found in a North Shields stationary shop by the arranger many years ago.

Many of the area's famous melodies were included in the book along with numerous drawings and sketches. The piece was refined and extended to match the requirements of the competition.

Promotion

Colin Harris is the Musical Director of Backworth Colliery Band and has a 14-year association with the band. He has been arranging and composing brass band music on an amateur level since an early age, studying Music at Newcastle University, although writing has taken back stage to his conducting work in recent years.

As part of the prize, the piece is now to be promoted and published by the N.R.B.B.T. for 12 months.