National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain · National Youth Brass Band Championships...

National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain Entry Details and Information Pack

Brass Bands England, Unit 12 Maple Estate, Stocks Lane, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 2BL Tel: 01226 771015 | E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.brassbandsengland.co.uk Registered Charity No. 1148331 | Company Number 08047535

2016 National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain

Royal Northern College of Music: Manchester Sunday 17th April 2016

Important Information Contest Sections Overview Beginners Section This section is intended to encourage very young bands/players to take part in the day’s music making. Full bands, small bands and groups are invited to play. Participants are invited to play an own choice programme not exceeding 15 minutes playing time. Two Scores of each band’s own choice pieces must be provided for the adjudicators. Awards Each band will receive a Certificate of Merit. The Thompson Shield will be presented to the Band of the Day and presentations will be made to the Highly Commended and the Band (which in the opinion of the adjudicators) shows most potential. There are no monetary prizes and Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates will not be awarded for this section. There is no best instrumentalist award in this section. Age Limit All players must be 11 years of age or under on 31st August 2016. (Pupils up to and including Year 6 will be eligible to play). Up to 4 players over the stated age limit will be allowed to play. Non playing helpers will be allowed to assist the children during their performance.

Junior Section This section is open to bands comprising of beginners/junior players. The bands will be invited to play a varied programme of no more than 15 minutes playing time that includes at least one piece of music which has been composed for brass band and two verses of a hymn tune from ‘120 Hymns’ (the Red Hymn Book). Two Scores of each band’s own choice pieces must be provided for the adjudicators. Awards Bands will be awarded a certificate of achievement (Gold, Silver, Bronze or Merit) to indicate their level of playing within the section. Prizes are awarded to the first three bands in this section. The best instrumentalist will receive the Martin Winter Trophy. Age Limit All players must be aged 16 years or under on 31st August 2016.



Intermediate Section This section is open to bands seeking a greater musical challenge in the form of a specially selected or commissioned test piece. Each band is invited to play a programme not exceeding 20 minutes playing time which must include the set test piece. Two Scores of each band’s own choice pieces must be provided for the adjudicators. Test Piece This year the test piece is ‘Funk Engine’ composed by Ryan Howells, published by Prima Vista. See full test piece review. Awards Bands will be awarded a certificate of achievement (Gold, Silver, Bronze or Merit) to indicate their level of playing within the section. Prizes are awarded to the first three bands in this section. The best instrumentalist will receive the Brass Band Heritage Trust Trophy. Age limit All players must be aged 18 years or under on 31st August 2016.

Championship Section This section is open to bands that are inspired to the greater challenge of playing a substantial test piece for brass band. Each band is invited to play a programme not exceeding 20 minutes playing time which must include the set test piece. The remaining time should be used to demonstrate the highest musical achievements of the band. It is not expected that bands play another full test piece but we would expect bands to choose music of a serious and demanding nature. Two Scores of each band’s own choice pieces must be provided for the adjudicators. Test Piece This year the test piece is ‘The Mansions of Glory’ composed by Jonathan Bates, published by SP&S. See full test piece review. Awards Bands will be awarded a certificate of achievement (Gold, Silver, Bronze or Merit) to indicate their level of playing within the section. Prizes are awarded to the first three bands in this section. The best instrumentalist will receive the Eric Bravington Memorial Trophy. Age Limit All players must be aged 20 years or under on 31st August 2016.

Additional Information Adjudication

Two Scores of each band’s own choice pieces must be provided for the adjudicators.

All adjudication will be open.

Points will not be awarded.

The adjudicators’ decisions are final.



Awards This year the monetary awards for the best three bands in the Junior, Intermediate and Championship sections are:

First place £350

Second Place £200

Third Place £100

Rehearsal Facilities Ample warm up areas are available to all participating bands/groups.

Wristbands Wristbands for players, the conductor and up to four helpers will be given to the official of each band upon arrival. These wristbands will provide access to the backstage area prior to, and during the performance and into the auditorium for the duration of the section in which the band is competing.

Tickets Details regarding ticket sales will be posted on the Brass Bands England Website in due course.

Application Information Entry Fees The entry fees for 2016 are: Championship, Intermediate and Junior sections £90 Beginners section £40

Closing Date The closing date for entries for the 2016 competition is 29th February 2016 Please note that due to limitations on the number of bands competing it may not be possible for your application to be accepted but be assured that all applications will be dealt with on a ‘first come first served’ basis.


Jonathan Bates

Composer Profile 19 year old Jonathan Bates is a student at the RNCM and Principal Horn of the Black Dyke Band, a position he has held since 2013. Throughout that period, he has enjoyed many major contest successes with Black Dyke, completing the British Open and National ‘double’ in 2014 and becoming European Champions in 2015.

As a composer, Jonathan has had his major brass band works selected as set pieces at the UK National Championships (2012), French Open (2013), New Zealand National Championships (2013), World Championships (2013) and Dutch National Championships (2013). In 2014, the Flowers Band released a CD of his music entitled ‘Stratos’ featuring a number of new concert items and the title track is a Euphonium Concerto, performed by David Childs. In 2015 Jonathan composed the entire programme presented by Flowers Band at Brass in Concert.

The Test Piece: ‘The Mansions of Glory’ by Jonathan Bates published by SP&S ‘The Mansions of Glory’ was commissioned by the Consett Corps of the Salvation Army to mark their 135th anniversary and coincide with a visit from the Amsterdam Staff Band, who gave the world premiere of the piece in May 2014. The music is based on the following narrative: “A young, talented and tender-hearted actress was passing along the street of a large city. Seeing a pale, sick girl lying upon a couch just within the half-open door of a beautiful dwelling, she entered, with the thought that by her vivacity and pleasant conversation she might cheer the young invalid. The sick girl was a devoted Christian, and her words, her patience, her submission and heaven-lit countenance so demonstrated the spirit of her religion that the actress was led to give some earnest thought to the claims of Christianity, and was thoroughly converted and became a true follower of Christ. She told her father, the leader of a theatre troupe, of her conversion and of her desire to abandon the stage, stating that she could not live a consistent Christian life and follow the life of an actress. Her father was astonished beyond measure and told his daughter that their living would be lost to them and their business ruined if she persisted in her resolution. Loving her father dearly, she was shaken somewhat in her purpose and partially consented to fill the published engagement to be met in a few days. She was the star of the troupe, and a general favourite. Every preparation was made for the play in which she was to appear. The evening came and the father rejoiced that he had won back his daughter and that their living was not to be lost. The hour arrived; a large audience had assembled. The curtain rose and the young actress stepped forward firmly, amid the applause of the multitude. But an unwonted light beamed from her beautiful face. Amid the breathless silence of the audience, she repeated:

‘My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine, For thee all the pleasures of sin I resign; My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art thou, If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.’

This was all. Through Christ she had conquered and, leaving the audience in tears, she retired from the stage, never to appear upon it again. Through her influence her father was converted, and through their united evangelistic labours many were led to God.”


Ryan Howells

Composer Profile Ryan Howells is a 20 year old dentistry student at Barts and the London School of Medicine & Dentistry whose involvement in music began when he took up the ‘cello aged 8. He later changed instruments when he joined his local brass band, Goodwick Brass on tenor horn and subsequently went on to become a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales. Ryan says “music is my life! I love listening to it, playing it, writing it, I think I'd probably eat it if I could...but that would be a waste of good music.” He plays piano, trumpet, tenor horn and saxophone.

Ryan began composing at the age of 15 and has attended the Young Composer course of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and was the recipient of the Welsh Music Guild’s Young Composer of the Year in 2013. Last year Ryan was awarded the title of ‘Tŷ Cerdd Young Composer 2014’ for his work, ‘A Welsh Fantasy’ overcoming strong competition from musicians throughout Wales. His winning composition was premiered and recorded by the National Youth Brass Band of Wales.

The Test Piece: ‘Funk Engine’ by Ryan Howells published by Prima Vista

‘Funk Engine’ was commissioned by Brass Bands England for the 2016 National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.

What Ryan says about the piece:

“When I was commissioned to write a piece for the Championships I decided that I wanted to create something a bit different to standard brass band repertoire. I decided that the best way to do this was to go a bit out of my comfort zone and explore some styles of music that I have yet to experiment with. I have always been a great lover of jazz, funk and big band music and the sounds associated with them. In ‘Funk Engine’ I have tried to capture some of these sounds, however I am a brass-bander at heart and as such I’ve tried to create a fusion of styles that hopefully combines the best of brass band and jazz into one piece.

’Funk Engine’ runs continuously, but is divided into three broad sections – fast, slow, fast. The opening is in driving big band style, which segues into a smoother lyrical section; the pace then picks up into a jazz inspired scherzo. After a delicate transition from the basses and trombones the euphonium plays a soaring scale – bringing us into the central movement – which begins with a series of languid solos before descending into a darker interlude.

A flugel solo lightens the mood and the music gains momentum leading into a brief cornet chorale before a euphonium solo leads into a percussive climactic passage for full band. As this section winds down to settle on an open fifth, the Hi-hat and Bass section punctuate the texture with the first notes of the final section.”

The final section of the piece is in similar big band style to the opening and develops material from the first two movements. The percussion feature heavily at this stage and the tension builds towards a final statement, with the piece concluding with a bang!”

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I certify that all players are regular and bona-fide members of the band and that all comply with the age limit. I enclose our entry fee of £90.00 or £40 for Beginners’ section payable to ‘Brass Bands England’.

Please note that due to limitations on the number of bands competing it may not be possible for your application to be accepted but be assured that all applications will be dealt with on a ‘first come first served’ basis.

National Youth Brass Band

Championships of Great Britain

Presented by

ENTRY FORM Closing date for entries Monday 29th February 2016

No. of Players No. of Helpers (max 4)

Tel: 01226 771015 | E-mail: [email protected] | Web Site: www.brassbandsengland.co.uk

Registered Charity No. 1148331 | Company Number 08047535

Royal Northern College of Music: Manchester

SUNDAY 17th APRIL 2016

Brass Bands England Unit 12 Maple Estate, Stocks Lane, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 2BL

Band Name Class Beginner Junior Intermediate Championship

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