YBS and Rochdale Youth & Junior Bands

Yorkshire Building Society Band, Richard Evans
Rochdale Youth Band, Eric Landon
Rochdale Junior Band, Hayley Moore
Gracie Fields Theatre, Rochdale
Saturday 31st January

Banding in the Lancashire borough of Rochdale is certainly thriving. The Youth band will be going for a hat trick of wins at Blackpool in a couple of weeks, at the Youth Entertainment Contest of Great Britain. In addition, there is a flourishing Intermediate band, and in the past couple of years, the formation of a Junior band, who in their short history, have already taken the National Festival of Music for Youth Championships in 2003.

What a great night in store then, with the added bonus of the Yorkshire Building Society Band on show. Too good to miss? Most definitely, and a night that was made even more enjoyable for the playing of a young player called Michael Golding, and for a new composition from Salford University student, Neil Bowden. The atrocious weather conditions did not stop a large audience descending on the Gracie Fields Theatre to raise money for the bands and a local hospice into the bargain.

The concert was the typical format when you have a number of bands on show. Both Rochdale bands did an individual slot with YBS taking the bulk of the concert, before everybody came on stage at the end for a massed band finale.

The age of the junior band ranges from seven years to twelve. Under the guidance of YBS cornet player, Hayley Moore, the band played four items, where the emphasis was more on enjoyment than technique, but amongst the fifty players on stage, plenty of talent on show.

The theme from the "A Team", "Young and Swingin" and "Bandstand Boogie" were all performed in a confident manner, with nobody being overawed with the experience. Bach's "Toccata in D Minor" stood out as it received some different treatment with the main tune being performed with plenty of energy and enthusiasm by Nathan Mills. Hayley Moore certainly had control of her troops with an understandable and comfortable conducting style.

The Youth band gave a few clues perhaps to their forthcoming programme in Blackpool. Every year, the personnel changes within the band, but the standard never changes. It is clear to see that Eric Landon, seeks a high level of performance from his young proteges, and they certainly respond. The whole programme is linked through the conductor who presents the music very much in the style of how Leonard Sachs used to front the BBC Old Time Music Show, "The Good Old Days". It's bright, enthusiastic, and loads of words that you need to get the dictionary out for, but it all adds to the fun.

The band got things under way with the "Radetsky March" before principal cornet player, Richard Golding stepped forward to perform a confident rendition of "Sunshine of Your Smile" where the audience were encouraged to sing along, courtesy of two players, holding up the words at the side of the stage. Great stuff.

Rossini's "William Tell" overture was the opportunity for the band's percussion section to display their talents. All three were centre stage with the xylophone and giving a different interpretation of the overture. One of the percussionists was content to be in mischievous mood putting off his two colleagues. Dismissed off stage by the MD, the player was not to be outdone and returned with another xylophone to display his own skills. Without question, this is a group of talented musicians, and the real star of the night, that must have impressed the YBS players, stepped forward.

Soprano player, Michael Golding started off by playing the post horn, before giving an Alan Morrison style performance on the cornet. Not content with that, the euphonium was picked up, for a brief rendition of "Grandfather's Clock". Then, a few stunts as an acrobat on the trombone, before returning to the post horn to finish off. The most impressive thing about Michael's playing, was his ability to adapt, and his technique, coupled with a good ear for playing in tune, coming across. It would not be a surprise to see this young man sitting in a top class band in years to come on his favoured instrument, soprano cornet.

To close, the Goff Richards version of "The Can Can", and it is no wonder that the band has become the National Youth Champions two years running. The emphasis is on entertainment but the standard of playing has to match it, and above anything else, everybody enjoys themselves. In between the bands coming on and off stage, BBC's local radio presenter, Norman Prince, kept everybody entertained with his own kind of humour. A great foil to the bands - he certainly enjoyed himself all night.

So what about YBS? In a nutshell, the band did not drop below its consistent performances that are on display at concerts. The lively Mozart overture, "The Marriage of Figaro", with some superb ensemble playing from within the band got things going, before Principal Cornet, Stuart Lingard gave an insight into the English countryside in the "Bells of Peover". The March from Shostakovich's "Jazz Suite" was given the Richard Evans treatment, before everybody started thinking of warmer climates and tequila in Howard Snell's "Postcard from Mexico".

Peter Roberts took everybody back to the Lloyd Webber hit from the musical ‘Cats' with an impeccable rendition of "Memory". How many notes does Peter have in his head? Millions probably, but his standard never ever drops.

To conclude the first half, the band performed the Drake Rimmer version of "Les Preludes". Such a shame that the band cut the opening quiet and slow parts, and commenced this rendition when everybody comes into the together for the first time with the main tune. That quibble aside, it was cracking stuff, with Richard Evans clearly in his element, bringing some lovely stuff out of the band, steady tempos, but plenty of clarity coming through, and the finale was stunning.

The European & British Open Champions commenced thier second spot with "Liberty Fanfare". The horn section matched some lovely playing on euphonium by Michael Howley in a piece written to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. Tenor horn soloist Sheona White is about to go to jet off to Canada and the Scottish lady demonstrated why she is such a class act with "Demelza". What a beautiful rounded tone Sheona has.

The name W Hogarth Lear is better known as Elgar Howarth. Mr Howarth arranged the famous "Carnival of Venice" for various soloists within a band, and this was the next YBS offering. Commencing with Iwan Williiams on flugel, the tune passes to the horns and baritones, bass section, Chris Jeans on trombone, the cornets have their turn, before carnage ensues with the tune emerging anywhere in the band, before Iwan Williams puts everything back in order at the end. Great entertainment, but you can only marvel at the virtuoso playing of the instrumentalists.

Look out for the name of Neil Bowden in the future. Neil is a student at Salford University and had the chance to compose for one of the University's outstanding ensembles, as he had won the Elgar Howarth Shield for 2002-03. He chose the University brass band, and Neil's composition is entitled "Another World". The piece was premiered before Christmas in Peel Hall, Salford. Professional Conductor for YBS, Professor David King is reported to have described it as a ‘cracker' in December, and it's hard to disagree. The band has plenty to do and has to be on its metal, but the score contains an awful lot of lyrical playing, and it doesn't disappoint in tempo. The music is perhaps vigorous at times but without doubt left a huge impression on everybody present. Should this young man write anything substantial for band, it would not be a surprise to hear the music being played in a major competition.

YBS rounded things off with "Malaguena", before it was literally standing room only for some of the younger players, as over one hundred musicians were on stage for "Reunion and Finale" from Gettysburg arranged for band by Andrew Duncan, before finishing off with Greenwood's march, "True & Trusty".

It was a night all the young musicians will not forget. Entertaining a large audience and rubbing shoulders with one of the best bands in the business. Not all of them will pursue brass banding, but those that do, will be making a mark in the future (as well as at present) and become the stars in their own right .

Malcolm Wood

^back to top