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Musical Innovation at Inverness

Published in General on 2013-07-04 by Empty Chairs

More news from Scottish Brass Band Association

The Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) is delighted to report on the success of the innovative Brass Band Repertoire Day which took place on Saturday 22nd June at Culloden Academy, Inverness. The new initiative, organised by Mark Bell and conducted by Glenn Munro from Moray Concert Brass, was designed to promote brass bands in the highlands, with the view to setting up a new brass band in Inverness.

The initiative received some very positive pre-event publicity, including a news article on television, but it was still uncertain how many people would actually turn up or the combination of instruments they would play. However, Andrew Duncan, Development Manager for SBBA, attended the event and happily reported that this innovative approach to building awareness of brass band music was an undoubted success.

Andrew told Empty Chairs: “It was a great relief for Mark Bell, the organiser of the day and the inspiration behind the new band, and a very pleasant surprise for all involved, to witness a full and balanced band of 30 players of all ages (including 3 percussionists) seated and ready to play at 10am.”

Mark is the local brass instructor in Highland Region, having moved to Inverness from West Lothian last year, and he will be the new band’s Musical Director.

Andrew continued: “Led by guest conductor Glenn Munro, the rehearsals began on a number of pieces. Glenn worked on many musical details, giving the new band the benefit of his very experienced insight into rehearsing and training techniques which culminated in a very passable recording being made of the repertoire at the end of the session a few hours later.”

Glenn is a very highly regarded brass instructor from the neighbouring authority to the east, Moray, and is also the MD of Moray Concert Brass as well as being an excellent trumpet player.

Andrew summarised the day: “The trip to Inverness was very much worth the effort, and to see such an enthusiastic and large group of players at the formative stage of what will be I’m sure a very successful new band was a quite inspirational experience. Everyone who attended the Brass Band Repertoire Day seemed genuinely delighted that a new band is to be formed in the Inverness area. With the obvious goodwill and support shown at the weekend by everyone involved, the future of the band seems assured.”

SBBA is committed to an expansion of brass band provision for people all over Scotland, including in the Highlands an Islands: “The formation of a new band in the Highland capital is something SBBA considers to be a significant new development, and for our part we will support the new band in every way that we can. We are delighted to learn that through this initiative and the participants’ enthusiasm, the new band is set to begin rehearsals after the summer and have already put in place an ambitious plan to start up a new Inverness youth brass band once the new community band has been established. We look forward to seeing their growth and development and congratulate them on their innovative approach to bringing a new brass band to life.”

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