National Youth Brass Band of Wales
Conductor: Dewi Griffiths
Soloist: Jordan Ashman
Riverfront Theatre, Newport
Saturday 23rd August

Since becoming part of National Youth Arts Wales, the charity body that oversees the development of the nation’s five youth music ensembles, the National Youth Brass Band of Wales has enjoyed a significant resurgence in both outlook and performance. 

That continued on its 2025 Summer Course. Led by Paul Holland it culminated in three concerts in Wrexham, Aberystwyth, and Newport. 

Tributes and homages

Unfortunately, the Flowers MD was unable to direct this final event due to a concert commitment with the National Champion.

However, his neatly conceived appreciation of tributes and homages was given a fine final flourish under Assistant Conductor Dewi Griffiths - from Edward Gregson’s ‘Rococo Variations’  and Beethoven’s ‘Egmont Overture’,  to the 21st century sounds of video games that have turned teenagers into mono-syllabic bedroom recluses ever since their launch. 

Musical eloquence was not in short supply however, as the first half opened with the energy of Stephen Bulla’s ‘Into the Sky’.  

Pong

Not surprisingly Flower’s inventive 2024 Brass in Concert ‘Gaming’ set was easily understood by the cross generations in the hall who first encountered ‘Pong’ in the 1970s or enjoyed the next generation of Crash Bandicoot and Super Mario games.  

It was great fun – the different elements brought to life with a cat-nip sense of excitement as the first coin dropped into the slot machine and the electronic countdown began. Little wonder you could see old consol thumbs twitching in the audience. 

It was great fun – the different elements brought to life with a cat-nip sense of excitement as the first coin dropped into the slot machine and the electronic countdown began. Little wonder you could see old consol thumbs twitching in the audience. 

Edward Gregson’s ‘Rococo Variations’  was shaped with mature understanding – the nods of compositional appreciation neatly illuminated by the MD and his players, soloists and 61 strong ensemble alike. It was a fine account.  

Mesmeric

It was topped however by the centrepiece of the second half – and an utterly mesmeric performance by Jordan Ashman of Ney Rosauro’s ‘Marimba Concerto’ - the controlled artistry opening portals of differing textures, melodic shape and joyful style. 

It was topped however by the centrepiece of the second half – and an utterly mesmeric performance by Jordan Ashman 

Ludovic Neurohr’s ‘Shout Up!’,  T.J Powell’s ‘The Spaceman’  and ‘St Peter’s Chorale’  offered further detours of contrasting styles – each played with confidence, before a determined rendition of ‘Egmont Overture’  honouring the memory of C Brian Buckley and a fizzy ‘Bright Lights, Big City’  brought a highly encouraging display of Welsh banding talent to a close. 

Iwan Fox