Lanner Academy home grown crop excels in the Bugle sunshine

Published in Band News on 2014-07-10 by Empty Chairs

More news from Lanner Brass Academy

There were some fantastic winning performances at this year’s West of England Bandsman’s’ Festival - Bugle but the Lanner Brass Academy should also be classed as ‘winners’.  Formed just four years ago the Academy has gone from strength to strength.   They first entered this contest two years ago in the training section and came away with a second place and then last year they took the training section title. 

Returning this year they took the huge leap competing in the fourth section alongside predominantly adult bands playing Malcom Arnold’s ‘Little Suite For Brass No1’; eleven bands took part in this section and the Academy were awarded fourth place.  

Academy manager, Lee Rouse commented “after winning the training section last year we didn’t feel it was right to compete in that section again.  The fourth section was our only option and our young players certainly rose to the occasion”. 

He went on to explain “All of our members have been trained by the Academy with the exception of two parents who play and one borrowed player who helped for the day, in fact prior to this borrowed player the average age of our cornet section was just 11 years.  Our principal cornet, Siana Rouse is only 10 and the adjudicator, Mr Ian Porthouse commented on her solo section as ‘good sounding solo cornet’.”

Musial Director, Philip Matthews was over the moon with the result “the effort put in over the last few months has been incredible, I’m so proud of what they have achieved.  We are fortunate to have a good team of tutors as well as being able to draw on the experience of the Academy’s Musical Advisor Mr Stuart Chappell who also conducts the Lanner and District Silver Band at Championship level”.

The Academy now looks forward to polishing up their program for the forthcoming concert season.