It was with a keen sense of intrigue that the audience gathered at Perth Concert Hall for this end-of-course concert from the National Youth Brass Bands of Scotland (NYBBS).

Following the departures of Musical Director Richard Evans and course director Neil Cross, it was inevitably the start of a new era for the three-tier organisation and parent body, the Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA).

First up

First to take to the stage was the National Children’s Band of Scotland, conducted by Gordon Evans MBE alongside tutors Lynda Nicholson, Jamie McVicar and Alan Fernie.

Opening with Edward Gregson’s ‘Music for Greenwich’, it was clear the standard of the band was higher than in previous years: Some mature sounds were on display, notably from principal cornet player Jenny Whitaker, whilst a cheeky bass line in Stuart Johnson’s ‘Bandstand Blues’ gave way to a new work from Alan Fernie. 

Entitled ‘French Fancies’, the audience was treated to three of its four movements; beginning with a nod to Ravel’s ‘Bolero’ in what was fantastic addition to the youth band repertoire.

Bruce Fraser’s ‘Ground Pavan’ was warm and well-balanced, helped by some low-end tutorial reinforcements to assist the one euphonium and one tuba player, before the band continued to impress with its final contribution of Rob Hume’s arrangement of Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures from an Exhibition’. 

Progression in mind

With progression in mind, the NYBBS Reserve Band began with Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s ‘Pound the Streets’, originally written for their senior counterparts. The motoring bass lines and spiralling semiquavers provided a firecracker opening to their enjoyable contribution.

John Boax also stressed the importance of looking backwards with the neat inclusion of Stuart Johnson’s ‘Ceramic City Festival’, whilst a timely contrast came with Chris Brown’s ‘Kidnapped’; at times bold and haunting, at others dance-like, it was a piece exuding a real variety of colour.

Pyrotechnics

The audience was then treated to the first appearance of guest soloist, tuba player Eirik Gjerdevik - affectionately dubbed ‘Eirik the Viking’ – who handled Monti’s ‘Czardas’ with the elastic pyrotechnics of a virtuoso violinist.

Contrasting composure came with the band’s performance of the ‘Minuet’ from the ‘Petite Suite de Ballet’ by Eric Ball, played with an appropriate sense of poise. Treated with equal delicacy was John Boax’s introduction of Bruce Fraser’s work ‘Devolution’; not intended as an immediate political statement, but a historical musical one - the title referring to the decision to establish a new Scottish Parliament in 1997.

Senior counterparts

Following a brief stretch of the legs, it was the turn of the senior NYBBS to take to the stage with new MD, Russell Gray.

This was a ‘NYBBS-lite’; with greatly reduced numbers in comparison with previous years. It made for a tough shift for a cornet section of nine players, though they rose to the challenge with the bold treatment of ‘Intrada Ein’ feste Burg’ which saw fanfares emanating from around Perth Concert Hall. 

Elgar’s ‘Severn Suite’ was treated with suitable warmth and pomp before Eirik Gjerdevik returned to play the Vaughan Williams ‘Tuba Concerto’, with the sumptuous ‘Romanza’ in particular lending itself to the artist’s lyrical sound.

Sweet sounds

John Ireland’s ‘Elegy’ from ‘A Downland Suite’ featured sweet individual sounds, particularly from solo euphonium Scott Kerr, whilst the invitation of NYBBS to play at the Cumnock Tryst Music Festival in Ayrshire in October, founded by Scottish composer James MacMillan, saw them follow with his ‘Jebel’, complete with brass fanfares and unrelenting percussion.

The finale from Howells’ ‘Pageantry’ featured a sublime opening from principal cornet player Lloyd Griffin, before things were rounded off with the jazz-influenced ‘Unisons’ arranged by Svein Giske.

Encore

The encore from Eirik Gjerdevik, in his own arrangement of ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’, brought an enjoyable - if gargantuan concert of more than three and a half hours to a close.

A period of transition is never easy. Make too many changes too quickly and there is a very real threat of not only rocking the boat but capsizing it. 

A year ago, the tension was palpable as uncertainty over the future of NYBBS remained. Now, it would appear the ship is back on course.

Mark Good