Year saw former players gather to celebrate band’s 60th anniversary
LOOKING back over 2020 a particular anniversary was that of the Gwent Youth Brass Band, who celebrated their 60th anniversary having been established in 1960.
It is one of the foremost ensembles of the Gwent Music Service and players come from Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen.
In January 2020, the Youth Band presented a concert at the Rougemont School, Newport, to celebrate its anniversary and had Robert and David Childs as guest soloists.
There was also an ensemble of ex students, which contained some 70 year olds!
The conductors present during the evening were, Chris Turner, Lana Tingay, Alun F Williams, Sean O’Neil and Gareth Ritter and the concert was compered by a former Gwent Youth player, David Hayward.
Two of the above names were players in the Gwent Youth
Brass Band and both have had a wealth of banding experience as a direct result of their early brass education at Gwent Youth Brass Band formerly the MonmouthshireYouth Band, namely, Alun F Williams and David Hayward.
Alun’s playing career started with the Cwm Town Band at the age of nine.
His first course was with The Monmouthshire Youth Band in 1970 and he played with the band for eight years experiencing the name change to the Gwent Youth Brass Band.
He became a peripatetic brass teacher in 1978 and during his career became Head of Brass, Deputy Head and then Head of Gwent Music Service.
As the Administrative Head of the Gwent Youth Brass Band for more than 25 years he organised visits and tours which included The National and European Youth Brass Band Championships, tours to Americain 2001 and Australia and New Zealand in 2004.
In 1994, he conducted the band to a winning performance at the National Youth Brass Band Championships.
He was appointed chairman of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales in 2012 and recently was the Interim Administrator of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.
Alun is currently the musical director of the Abertillery Town Band with whom he qualified for the National Finals in 2020.
David Hayward at the age of seven started his banding career with the Celynen Colleries in Newbridge, Caerphilly.
David has spent a lifetime as a player, conductor and latterly as a compere at local, regional and national competitions and concerts.
He spends his banding life as a frelance conductor and adjudicator of bands in Wales and in the West of England.
He can be found on stages across the UK compering concerts for a variety of musical groups, bands and ensembles and hosting competitions which include the British Open Brass Band Championship, the National Youth Brass Band Championship and the Welsh Open Championship.
Interestingly enough, a player who was with the Gwent Youth Band in 1960 and in the Anniversary Concert in 2020 was Ken Lewis, who went on to play with the GUS band who became Brass Band Champions of Great Britain in 1964.
Ken was a youngster then and played 2nd cornet in the winning performance at the
Royal Albert Hall.
Ken never had a photograph of the GUS Band at the time of their becoming British Champions.
He was totally surprised, elated and rather emotional when he was presented with a photo of GUS by his family on Christmas Day.
It bowled him over as it was the photo of GUS waiting to go on stage to give their winning performance.
Ken is a good friend of mine and he is showing the photo with some understandable pride.