#CountdownToSwitzerland

We’re off to Switzerland! 1 day to go! 2 days to go! 3 days to go! 4 days to go! 5 days to go! 6 days to go! 7 days to go! 8 days to go! 9 days to go! 10 days to go! 11 days to go! 12 days to go! 13 days to go! 14 days to go! 15 days to go! 16 days to go! 17 days to go! 18 days to go! 19 days to go! 20 days to go! 21 days to go! 22 days to go! 23 days to go! 24 days to go! 25 days to go! 26 days to go! 27 days… Read More

Continue Reading

Lions Youth Brass receive funding from Bathgate Silica Sand

Bathgate Silica Sand helps Lions Youth Brass go for gold at the 2019 European Brass Band Championships Bathgate Silica Sand are thrilled to support Lions Youth Brass as they prepare to compete in the 2019 EuroBrass Championships in Montreux, Switzerland. For over 25 years, Lions Youth Brass, a registered charity, has enabled hundreds of children aged five to 18 years to play and perform brass or percussion instruments in beginners, junior or youth bands. Currently there are around 120 members, all from different backgrounds, and all are provided with musical instruments, tuition and support. They practice every Tuesday evening at Sandbach School. The children perform and compete at the highest… Read More

Continue Reading

The Road to Montreux

The youth band has been working hard on its programme for the upcoming European Youth Brass Bands Championship, which is now only 77 days away! As well as our regular rehearsals, most weekends have included additional practise time, ensuring we bring “Sanctuary” up to contest standard at the same time as our Nationals programme and concert repertoire. Foden’s Band In January, members of Foden’s Band led sectional workshops. It’s great to have such a high profile band as neighbours and we’re grateful to the players for their time.   The Band of the King’s Division Today we welcomed Major Stuart Halliday and players from The Band of the King’s Division… Read More

Continue Reading

Bells are jing, jing, jingling

  Bells are jing, jing, jingling as busking begins! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for Lions Youth Band as a dedicated team were up on Sunday morning for the first busking session of the year. Bright and chipper for 9.30am they were station at Tesco Extra, in Crewe, bringing a bit of festive cheer to the shoppers. It was the first of five, yes FIVE, busking sessions the band will be doing and helped raise £358 to get the bank to Montreux, in Switzerland, for next year’s EuroBrass19 competition. It came after, four Youth Band players, Emma and Katy Stone, Amy Hext, and Leanne Smith, raised £121  towards… Read More

Continue Reading

Annual Slow Melody

On Sunday 2nd December, Lions Youth Brass will be hosting its 13th annual Slow Melody Competition. This is a great chance for all members of Lions Youth Brass to showcase their skills. This year we welcome back Elizabeth Lawrence and Mareika Grey as our adjudicators with Fenella Haworth-Head as our piano accompanist. The last 12 years have been very successful with high participation from members and we’re hoping for the same again. Please see attached entry form with all details on. Section times will be announced shortly after the closing date but will between 9.30am and 2pm. This year we will be featuring a family section which will allow brothers and sisters to play together   Please print off and… Read More

Continue Reading

Biking to Switzerland

Members from Lions Youth Brass will be swapping the stage for the saddle as they prepare to cycle the distance between Sandbach and Montreux on static bikes. The Lions Youth Brass team will be cycling around 790 miles, the distance from their Sandbach base to Montreux, in Switzerland, where the band will be competing at the European Youth Brass Band Championships. The Lions qualified to represent the UK at the prestigious competition after scooping second place at the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain earlier this year. It’s a fantastic achievement for the young band and has resulted in a major fundraising campaign to find the £25,000 it will… Read More

Continue Reading

From Sandbach to Switzerland

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the movies as some of the county’s top musicians take you on a tour of the silver screen. From John Williams to Hans Zimmer, Fodens Band, the Roberts Bakery Band, and Lions Youth Brass will be performing together for one night only for their From Sandbach to Switzerland concert.  More than 100 of Cheshire’s top players will be helping to raise money for the Lions Youth Brass band as they prepared to head to Montreux, Switzerland for next year’s European Youth Brass Band Championships.    The band qualified to represent England at the prestigious tournament after finishing second in the National Youth Brass Band Championships… Read More

Continue Reading

Tour 2018: Day 6

The final day started with a hearty cooked breakfast. Katie and Jane slaved over the cooker, supported by Steve, Charlotte and Julian. I even chipped in with the odd round of toast. This set us up nicely for a long day ahead. We said our farewells to Brian as he set off early with Neil (Jane and Brian’s son) for his Hospital appointment. Following a thorough cleanup, Jane and Katie always check our rooms to make sure it’s left to their very high standards, we set off home around 11am. Steve had now been promoted to van duty in Brian’s absence and to keep Derek on the straight and narrow. Following… Read More

Continue Reading

Tour 2018: Day 5

On Wednesday, we were woken up and headed off to Beverly. Our first concert was in Beverly Minster. What a beautiful acoustic! The sound after the last note lasted for seven seconds! Many band members say that it is the nicest place that they have ever played in. We had a lovely lunch however there were no crisps, due to Leanne losing her phone down the side of the bed and Jane being preoccupied all morning! After all the fuss, all it took was one swipe of a hanger from Julian to save the day. Then we went to our second concert. This was at a garden party where the… Read More

Continue Reading