Image credit: Marc Gascgoine Photography

Conductor: Katrina Marzella-Wheeler
Soloist: Angus Ritchie
Taunton Brewhouse 
Friday 31st July

Although Donald Trump brazenly boasts of being the mastermind behind everything from peace deals in the Middle East to the rescinding of World Cup red cards, it seems he was the inspiration behind the success of this year’s National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain’s Children’s Band course.

The tango-tanned political cement mixer of destructive churn proved to be just that, thanks to an early conversation between NYBBGB CEO Mark Bromley and conductor Katrina Marzella-Wheeler about the musical themes that were to underpin their approach to ‘Disruption: The Sounds of Change’.

It was the very antithesis of Trumpian egotistical posturing, narrow mindedness and bullying.

Thankfully though, theirs was a holistic ethos based on positive perspectives, fresh thinking and mature appreciations. It was the very antithesis of Trumpian egotistical posturing, narrow mindedness and bullying.

Clear fusion

Displayed through music making that expressed its uplifting explorations in full, it was led with a clear fusion of communication and encouragement by Katrina Marzella-Wheeler. 

The MD asked demanding questions of her young players – ones answered with mature confidence from the opening brio of Frederick Schelderup’s ‘Ultimo’  to the colourful complexities of the sashaying rhythmic pulse of Errollyn Wallen’s ‘Gold Saturday’  to close.

The MD asked demanding questions of her young players – ones answered with mature confidence 

It made for engaging listening, added to by 19-year-old Angus Ritchie, winner of the 2025 Harry Mortimer Award on the senior NYBBGB Course. His cultured renditions of ‘Michelangelo’  by Sigvart Dagsland and ‘Variations’  by Andrew Lloyd Webber were also displays of positive inspiration for the next generation accompanying him on stage.

Responses

Their own responses, both enthusiastic as well as excellent came on a confident ‘Cortege’  from Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Mlada’ set against the tender warmth and tonal balance of ‘Amazing Grace’.  The witty humour of Alan Fernie’s ‘Rain!’  was only unsuccessful in that it didn’t bring with it a much needed quick downpour on a scorching afternoon.

The serious message that underpinned Tim Minchin’s darkly joyful ‘song of resistance’ in ‘Revolting Children’  from the musical ‘Matilda’  was not lost on those who sang or listened

‘The Journal of Phileas Fogg’,  Peter Graham’s clever Victorian Eurostar break to Paris, Moscow, Vienna and Madrid, before heading back to the Reform Club in London for Sunday tea, was a post-Brexit treat (even the Russians were friendly), packed with character and colour, super little solo cameos and ensemble contributions.

Serious message

That was also a feature of a second half that opened with the atmospheric balance of brass and voice in Liz Lane’s ‘The Awakening’  and the funky rhythms of Lucy Pankhurst’s ‘March: IRL’  that hit a spot-on groove.  

The serious message that underpinned Tim Minchin’s darkly joyful ‘song of resistance’ in ‘Revolting Children’  from the musical ‘Matilda’  was not lost on those who sang or listened, nor was the still beauty of Evelyn Glennie’s ‘A Little Prayer’. 

Errollyn’s Wallen’s multi-cultural celebration of endeavour and excellence brought a fine concert to an appropriate medal winning climax.

Iwan Fox
With thanks to Dr Robert Childs