40 players with an average age of less than 13 showed just what can be achieved after a weekend course with Bruce Fraser recently.

Bruce travelled from his home in Fife to Ramsey in the Isle of Man, to spend a weekend tutoring the Neptune St. Nippers who are the junior section of Third Section Ramsey Town Band.

Nippers

The Nippers have achieved success over the years with Bruce’s compositions in the under 16 ensemble section at the Isle of Man Music Festival.

The weekend commenced on the Friday evening, all day Saturday, Sunday morning, a ‘top and tail’ in the hall in the afternoon with the concert commencing at 6pm. By 7.30 on Sunday evening there were some very tired but exuberant children, the youngest of whom is only just 8 years of age.

The Nippers have achieved success over the years with Bruce’s compositions in the under 16 ensemble section at the Isle of Man Music Festival4BR

Capacity

A capacity audience at the newly opened junior school in Ramsey saw Bruce take the band through a repertoire of just some of his wide selection of music written especially for junior bands.

The variety of styles contained within the music delighted the audience, varying from medieval with ‘Joust in Time’ to Rock, Reggae, Pavan, Tango, Blues and March. The finale, Lomond Hills Overture, is a piece, which the junior ensemble has used on two occasions, to win the Manx Music Festival.

Talented members

Three of the band members play in the National Children’s band of Great Britain and one in the National Junior Band of Great Britain.

A number of previous band members have gone on over the years to make a career of music. One is now a freelance Tuba player, another is at Guildhall in London but also plays in a quartet and trumpet in ‘Noah and the Whale’.

Robert Quane the musical Director of Ramsey Town Band paid tribute to John Garfield and Ray Gillis for the hard work they put into the junior section.

Thanks

He also thanked all those who had helped make the evening such a success, especially the Arts Council for their support but especially Bruce for the wonderful weekend he had given the youngsters.

Bruce commented that the organisation and teaching provided to the Nippers was a wonderful example of what could be achieved with the right team.