Scottish youth banding is the envy of the brass band world - a fertile nursery of grass roots talent that continues to blossom through the remarkable musical husbandry of inspirational teachers and conductors alike.

The annual Scottish Youth Championships is the showcase event that demonstrates that in full - from small starter ensembles to fully fledged representative bands, and over the last few years the standard bearer of that collective excellence has been the Carnoustie & District Youth Band from the north east of the country.

Wonderful leadership

Formed in 2008, through Michael Robertson’s wonderful leadership they have enjoyed numerous competitive victories both at home (they have been multiple Scottish Youth champions) and on their travels (notching up victories at the National Youth Championships of Great Britain). They were also declared BBC Radio 2 Youth Brass Band of the Year in 2012. 

Collective brilliance

Although it has been their collective brilliance that has seen them claim their well deserved awards, the band has also been fortunate to have unearthed and developed some outstanding musical talent such as the Tonner brothers, Calum and Eoin, tuba star Ross Knight and bass trombonist, Josiah Walters, the latter, both BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award winners.

Ross is currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London and is Principal Tuba with the European Union Youth Orchestra, whilst Josiah will demonstrate his compositional talents at the forthcoming European Championships in Perth after being commissioned to write the B Section test piece.

Celebration

This recording is therefore is celebration of the achievements of everyone involved in the band during the period 2009-2012, and features 11 ‘live’ recordings of concert and contest repertoire, each bubbling with vibrancy, adrenaline and bar upon bar of musical talent. 

The trio of solo contributions from Josiah Walters with his own arrangement of 'James Brown in the Twilight Zone', Ross Knight on 'Bare Necessities' and Calum Tonner in Harry James' 'Trumpet Concerto', are all delivered with a terrific sense of style and boldness, whilst the ensemble features of Downie's 'In Perfect Peace', ‘Clare Benediction’ and 'Prier de Notre Dame' from 'Suite Gothique', are examples of high quality brass band playing in anyone’s book.

Focussed

The major contest works of ‘Skylines’ and ‘Fanfare and Love Songs’ are a keen reminder of their focused competitiveness, whilst the showy ‘Enter the Galaxies’, neat ‘A Scots Miscellany’ and rousing ‘Dundonnell’ from ‘Hymn of the Highlands’ showcase their ability to capture a real sense of musical atmosphere to a tee.

The latter is also an unofficial signature tune that rounds off a highly enjoyable release from a band that can rightly claim to be true champions in every sense of the word.

Malcolm Wood

Contents

1. Enter the Galaxies (2012), Paul Lovatt-Cooper
2. Clare Benediction (2009), John Rutter, arr. Luc Vertommen
3. James Brown in the Twilight Zone (2011), Chris Brubeck, arr. J Walters
4. Skylines (2009), Paul Lovatt-Cooper
5. In Perfect Peace (2012), Kenneth Downie
6. Fanfare and Love Songs (Finale) (2011), Gavin Higgins
7. Bare Necessities (2009), Terry Gilkyson, arr. Leigh Baker
8. Suite Gothique (Prier de Notre Dame) (2011), Leon Boellman, arr. Eric Ball
9. Harry James Trumpet Concerto (2012), Harry James, arr. Elgar Howarth
10. A Scots Miscellany (2010), Alan Fernie
11. Dundonnell from Hymn of the Highlands (2012), Phillip Sparke