All change at Ynyshir as new MD takes up baton
The 2024 National Youth Brass Band Championships took place at Cheltenham on Saturday, March 23 at Dean Close School.
There was an excellent turn-out an the future does look much better for the development of brass banding in the future.
The results were as follows. ■ of Brass
World Section Gold Awards
1. Wardle Academy Youth (Bradley McCulloch); 2. Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans); 3. Elland Youth (Samantha Harrison) and Lions Youth Brass (Ian Raisbeck).
Silver Awards
Lancashire Youth (Helen Minshall); Northamptonshire County Youth (Iain McKnight); Oldham Music Centre Youth (Jonathan Leedale); South Wales Youth (Carol Flanary Davies); and Tewit Youth Senior Band(Martin Hall).
Bronze Awards Championship
Amersham Youth (Ash Horton); Birmingham Schools (Saphran Ali); Cardiff County & Vale of Glamorgan Youth (Charles Maynard); Macclesfield Youth (Louise Renshaw); Best Soloist; Percussion Trio – Sam Erian, Tim Sealey, George Cragg of Lions Youth. ■
Yamaha Performance Section Gold Awards
Elland Silver Training Band (Samantha Harrison); Pembrokeshire Music Service Youth (Miranda Morgan); St Austell Youth (Anna Minear); Delph Youth (Matt Stimpson); and Shepherd
Group Youth (Craig Brown).
Silver Awards
Astley Youth (Toby Hobson); Band Pres Ieuenctid Ceredigion (Rose Gillison); Barnet Youth (Peter Yarde Martin); Enderby Youth (Sam McClumpha); St Helens Youth (Jay Hall); and Wantage Youth (Sara-Jane Wallbridge).
Bronze Awards
Birmingham Schools Training (David Taylor); Firth Park Academy (Andy Harris); Egham Youth (James Begg); Tewit Youth Intermediate ( Joe Fearnley;
Merit Award
Macclesfield Youth (Junior) (Joe Mahin); Lions Academy(Peter
McDonough)
Best Soloist
Carys Wood on cornet with Pembrokeshire Music Service Youth. Besson Prodige Showcase Section Certificate presentation made to Cherry Tree Primary School (Paul Fisher); Churchdown Village Junior School (Paul McLaughlin); Forest of Dean Youth (Ann Adachi); Haberdashers Aske’s Boys Prep School (Alan Duguid); Lions Debut Band (John Barber); MK Young Brass Hoppers (David Rose); St Helens Debut Band (Peter McDonough); and Wantage Beginner Band (Judith Atkins);
Ynyshir Band has announced that
Robert Burnett, former euphonium player with Cory, Tredegar, Parc & Dare and MD with Gwaun Cae Gurwen is now the Musical Director of Ynyshir Band.
He conducted the band to third place in the recent Third Section at the Welsh Championships and narrowly missed an invitation to the National Brass Band Finals at Cheltenham.
Ynyshir also thanks outgoing MD Dean Evans who has conducted them since 2005 having reached the National Finals and gained many podium places.
Dean has organised and maintained the band’s extensive music library and will remain in the Bass Section as well as working behind the scenes.
Robert Childs congratulates Ellie Carlsen on winning this year’s Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Besson Solo Brass Prize.
Thanks to accompanist Chris and judges John Hardy Dewi Griffiths.
Robert said: “Bravo Ellie, you’ve worked so hard over the past three years and thoroughly deserve all you achieve”.
Ellie is the solo euphonium at LLwydcoed Band and the band is full of congratulations for her magnificent achievement!
Williams and