The annual National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain was a roaring success for the young Lions as the Youth Band secured second place. The success didn’t stop there as the Beginner Band were awarded a certificate of merit and the Junior Band a silver award – a top result in a category containing 12 bands! It was all change for the competition this year as the venue moved to Warwick Arts Centre in order to avoid a clash with the East holidays. Brass Bands England chairman Mike Kilroy told audiences the competition could well stay put next year as well. Junior Section A section containing 12 bands… Read More
Continue ReadingNew CD Preview!
The Youth Band’s latest CD ‘Carnival’ will be available towards the end of April however, if you can’t wait until then we have included some sneaky little previews below. Enjoy! If you wish to pre-order the CD will cost £7 each or if you require it to be sent via post there will be a charge of £8 (inc. post and packaging). Cheques made payable to Lions Youth Brass and please send to Jane Stubbs at 20 Beech Grove, Sandbach, Cheshire CW11 4JW. Each youth band member will receive a copy, free of charge. Prismatic Light Say You Say Me – Featuring Natasha Brett Sweet Gingerbread Man Over The Rainbow… Read More
Continue ReadingRace Night!
Saddle up and get yourself down to Haslington Cricket Club for the Race Night on Saturday, April 14. The event will help raise vital funds for the organisation with just over a week to go before everyone heads to Warwick for the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2018. With more than 200 players a trip to the Nationals costs the organisation around £3,000 each year. To help offset some of the costs and to have a good social get together Lions Youth Brass is holding the race night. The event is open to everyone but under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. There will be a… Read More
Continue ReadingYounger Lions roar at Newcastle!
Our Junior and Beginner bands were in action at the weekend, taking part in the annual Newcastle-under-Lyme Festival of Music, Speech and Drama. It was an early start for the Beginners, who took to the stage in the Under 14 stage before 10 am. Performing last in their section they played a short programme that included Madrigal, Mini March and concluded with Ode to Joy. A performance that MD Chris later described as ‘close to perfect’ was rewarded with a hugely well deserved second place, placing the band (who had an average age of around 8/9) ahead of older and more advanced bands. Full of euphoria they then joined in… Read More
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Half Term Concert
Parents and friends enjoyed a concert this evening featuring all three bands. Starting with our beginner Band, the audience was treated to a selection of pieces that the band isworking on ahead of the upcoming Nestle Festival of Music. The junior band then featured the band minus their conductor, Tom, showing just how well the band can play before continuing to play a varied set. Finally, the youth band brought a preview of their upcoming CD “Carnival” featuring a couple of “mature” additions to the percussion selection. Well done to all our bands. You are sounding in fine form and are sure to do really well at your upcoming competitions.
Continue ReadingLBB 2017: a year in review
2017 has been a year of progress for the Beginner Band, and what progress it has been! Everyone connected to the organisation has been delighted to see the huge increase in numbers we’ve had join the band since September. We now total a very healthy mid-thirty in terms of membership and it has been a real privilege to see these new, eager, young musicians settle in and develop their musical skills. I can’t wait to get working with them on our chosen programmes for our forthcoming competitions. I was very pleased with the performances the band gave at both the Newcastle and National contests. Newcastle was particularly pleasing due to… Read More
Continue ReadingTour 2017: Day Seven
We were up early for breakfast this morning as we had to pack up all our stuff and clean the accomodation. With the help of everyone in the band, Ty Clwyd was looking spotless in no time! We set off for our perfromance in Oswestry at around 10am. Following a lovely buffet lunch, the band performed to a small audience, lets be honest, it’s all about the quality and not the quantity. At the end of a tiring week, the band did well to maintain their focus and produced yet another solid perfromance. Their were a number of excellent solo contributions by Isabel, Rhys, Suzanna and Callum. After the concert,… Read More
Continue ReadingTour 2017: Day Six
This morning, without Brian’s pot bashing (thank goodness) the band got up at 7am to be showered and ready to leave by 9am! We arrived at Bodnant Welsh Food Centre in the pouring rain, with some time to look around before playing. In our lunch break, the rain flooded the gazeebo and Emily and Anne had to sit on quite wet chairs. We finished with an ice-cream, the favourite this time being Chocolate Brownie which was amazing! Back to the accommodation and the band enjoyed a choice of curry or sweet and sour chicken both of which were delicious. After tea we went to our concert at Gloddaeth Church, where Niamh managed… Read More
Continue ReadingTour 2017: Day Five
This morning, the band was rudely awakened by the morning chorus – no, it’s not the sound of the birds; more the din of the pan lids Brian hit to great effect. The bands destination today, was the picturesque setting of Llandudno, and the band was treated to the luxury of two hours free time! The band split into groups and enjoyed this time in many ways including hillside tobogganing, retail therapy and skimming stones on the beach. The band performed on the bandstand on the promenade, to a very supportive and enthusiastic crowd including, ex-band members, friends and even their music teacher! The band was treated to a BBQ extravaganza… Read More
Continue ReadingTour 2017: Day Four
Today, we all enjoyed our much deserved lie in, without being woken! We stumbled upon a shed full of surprises including Connect Four, hoola hoops and multiple balls and Frisbees for us to play with. Everyone got stuck in with games in the sun! More memes were blasted on the way to Caernarfon Castle (which was abs stunning). During our break of half an hour we explored the castle, walked into secret glass doors and found dead ends – of which there were many. After our concert in the sunshine, we had the choice of many different flavours of fabulous ice-cream! The fave being New York Cheesecake flavour! We arrived home for our tasty gammon… Read More
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