Junior musicians introduce sound of the future
Plastic and not brass instruments may be the future of junior brass bands.
The new technology was trialled by the junior Blenheim Brass Band at the New Zealand National Brass Band Championships in Wellington last week.
Band leader Kevin Mosley said he and the young musicians were hugely impressed with the red plastic B-flat bass – the only one of its kind in the country – they were loaned for the show. ‘‘It actually sounded pretty good.
‘‘Plastic instruments are great for younger players because they are pretty much bulletproof, are much lighter than a brass instrument and are much cheaper,’’ Mosley said.
The plastic bass, for example, weighs a few kilograms and costs $2500 compared with a brass equivalent which can cost up to $20,000, and weighs 27kg.
There were three manufacturers making plastic instruments, with trumpets, trombones and B-flat basses available, Mosley said. ‘‘We might look at getting some. ‘‘I can see the day when entire junior bands play brightly coloured plastic instruments - it would look pretty cool.’’
The Blenheim band, which was the only junior band at the contest and made up of members aged from 5 to 21 years old, won the Besson Musical Instrument Ltd Silver Challenge Cup as well as the admiration of the judges and top bands.
‘‘One judge said he would never believe it was a junior band if he couldn’t see them,’’ Mosley said.