Macclesfield Junior Brass Band recently pulled out all the stops to win both the Under 15’s and overall youth ensemble titles at Newcastle-under-Lyme Music, Speech and Drama Festival for a second year running.

Night at the Circus

31 players from Macclesfield performed their chosen test piece, 'A Night at the Circus', but there were no clowns on the stage on the day as the band the audience in their performance in the under 15’s class to take first place for the third consecutive year, and a place in the Grand Final.

For such young players to return to the festival and retain both of these titles is an amazing achievementMD, Cheryl Slamon

Final

The final included groups with players up to 19 years of age so, with an average age of just 12, the band had a huge challenge.

Their performance earned them a distinction from the adjudicator and a huge cheer want up when the band were announced as the winners.

Amazing achievement

MD Cheryl Slamon told 4BR: "For such young players to return to the festival and retain both of these titles is an amazing achievement. As with all circuses, they required a lot of training, and taming, but on the day they put on two super performances. I am very proud of our young musicians and thank them and their parents for all of the hard work that went into this success."