Youth bands get festival under way

THE Brass in Concert Festival will be held at the Sage, Gateshead on Saturday, November 20 and will start at 9pm with five Youth bands competing followed by the Brass in Concert Championships.

The Youth bands involved will take the stage in the following order.

First youth band will be the Houghton Area Youth followed by Elland Silver Youth, Lions Youth Brass, Enderby Youth and Youth Brass 2000.

There are 10 bands competing in the Championship Section and they will commence playing at 12.50pm.

Drawn number one was NASUWT Riverside followed by 2. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery; 3. Foden’s; 4. Cory; 5. Tredegar; 6. Flowers; 7. Redbridge; 8. Hammonds; 9.Grimethorpe Colliery and 10. Friary.

Brighouse & Rastrick has withdrawn and their place has been taken by Redbridge Band, who make a return to the festival after a number of years.

Tickets cost £12 for the Youth Section and £17, £27 and £35 for the Championship Section.

The Brass in Concert Festival was first held in 1977 and was won by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, who have been more successful over the years than any other band.

Up until 1994 bands competed playing the one required testpiece, but since 1995 each band is adjudicated on its timed concert programme.

Since 2000 Grimethorpe Colliery and the Cory Band have each been the Brass in Concert Champions on seven occasions. ■■Meanwhile, the British Open has now been postponed until 23 January 2022 and the 2022 Open will now take place on 10 September 2022!