The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) has successfully completed its 2024 audition cycle, attracting over 100 talented children and young people from across the UK. Auditions were held between September and November at eight centres nationwide (plus online), showcasing the remarkable musical talent and dedication of the next generation of brass musicians.

Following a highly competitive selection process, 57 young musicians have been offered places in the band. These individuals represent the finest young brass and percussion talent in the country, continuing the NYBBGB’s legacy of nurturing excellence and promoting brass music.

In 2025, the NYBBGB will hold residential courses at Pangbourne College and Oundle School. These intensive courses will culminate in public concerts in Tidworth, (York to be confirmed), Oundle, Birmingham, and London, offering audiences the opportunity to experience the exceptional skill and artistry of the bands.

As part of its commitment to music education and community engagement, the NYBBGB will also embark, through its Ambassador Ensemble, on a special music education tour in Bradford, celebrating the city’s prestigious designation as the UK City of Culture in 2025. The tour will inspire and educate local schoolchildren and young players, focusing on inclusivity and the power of music to unite communities.

However, the NYBBGB must regretfully announce that due to the UK Government’s decision to apply VAT to private school hires, course fees will have to be raised significantly to cover this additional cost. Private schools have provided wonderful facilities to the NYBBGB for many decades, enabling the band to deliver transformative experiences for young musicians. This policy change has placed an unexpected financial burden on the organisation and the families it serves.

The NYBBGB remains committed to making its courses as accessible as possible and will continue to prioritise its bursary scheme to support young musicians from lower-income families. Despite these challenges, the band will maintain its high standards of excellence, inspiring the next generation of brass players and sharing the joy of brass music with audiences across the UK.

🚀 NYBBGB Alumni Careers Talk – Free Online Event! 🚀

🗓 Date: Wednesday, 13th November 2024

🕖 Time: 7pm – 8:15pm

📍 Location: Online via Zoom

Are you aged 18-25 and studying or recently graduated from university? Wondering what your next step is or how to kickstart your career? Join us for a FREE online panel event where NYBBGB alumni will share insights into various career paths—both in and out of music!

Our facilitator:

🎺 Richard Hillson (NYBBGB, cornet 1999-2000)

Meet Our Speakers:

🎓 Kate Chisholm (NYBBGB, flugel horn 1995-2000) – Executive Headteacher at Smart Academy Trust, Newcastle. Kate will share her career journey in education, how music shaped her path, and tips for success in the professional world.

🥁 Ashley Clegg (NYBBGB, percussion 2008-2011) – British Army Musician. Ashley will discuss opportunities as a musician in the British Army and share his experiences.

📊 Alison Bonathan (NYBBGB, cornet, 1998-2000) – Technical Manager at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Alison will explore careers in accounting and offer advice for navigating the graduate job market.

🎼 Joshua Parkhill (NYBBGB, Assistant Conductor, 2024) – Freelance Musician. Joshua will talk about building a portfolio career in music, focusing on performance and conducting.

💼 Emily Dodsworth (NYBBGB, cornet, 2003-2006) – Employee Experience Manager at Close Brothers. Emily will share her journey in recruitment, what employers look for, and why it’s okay not to have everything figured out yet—opportunities come in many forms!

📧 To book your spot, email [email protected] to receive the Zoom link.

Open to all NYBBGB alumni aged 18-25 and non-alumni are welcome too!

Don’t miss this chance to gain valuable insights and kickstart your career journey!

The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) has been awarded the Green Hero Award by Brass Bands England at their annual conference, recognising the band’s significant contributions to environmental awareness through their “Fragile Earth Project.” The award highlights NYBBGB’s innovative use of music to engage audiences with pressing environmental issues, notably through a commissioned piece by the esteemed composer Sir Karl Jenkins and a strategic partnership with The Wildlife Trusts.

The Fragile Earth Project has brought together music, education, and environmental advocacy in a unique and impactful way. The centerpiece of the project was the commissioning of an original work by Sir Karl Jenkins, one of the most renowned contemporary composers. His piece, inspired by the beauty and fragility of the natural world, captured the urgency of the environmental crisis and aimed to stir audiences to reflect on their relationship with the Earth. The powerful work was performed by NYBBGB in a series of concerts and school tours across the UK, bringing its message of environmental stewardship to the forefront of the brass music world.

The partnership with The Wildlife Trusts further deepened the project’s impact, offering educational resources and workshops to members. Together, they aimed to inspire young people to become active participants in protecting the environment. The Wildlife Trusts provided insight into critical conservation efforts, such as biodiversity preservation, habitat protection, and sustainable living practices, complementing the musical performances with concrete actions individuals can take.

NYBBGB is committed to reducing its own environmental footprint. The band implemented measures such as encouraging rail travel and car-sharing for their staff and members, reducing single use plastic, and supporting sustainable food sources during their residential courses. These efforts mirrored the project’s core message of living in harmony with the planet and reducing individual and collective environmental impact.

NYBBGB’s CEO, Mark Bromley, expressed pride in the band’s role in raising environmental awareness through music. “This award is a tremendous honour for everyone involved in the Fragile Earth Project. We are thrilled to have worked with Sir Karl Jenkins and The Wildlife Trusts to highlight the importance of protecting our planet. Music has a unique power to connect people, and we hope that this project continues to inspire audiences to take action on climate change.”

The Green Hero Award marks a significant achievement for NYBBGB, underlining their role as not just musical leaders, but as champions of environmental responsibility in the brass band community and beyond.

The NYBBGB has been working on a special project this year in collaboration with The Friends of Bedfordshire Youth Music.

The NYBBGB Ambassador Ensemble will be touring Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes for the week of 8th to 12th July delivering music education concerts in local primary schools. During that same week on Wednesday 10th July, the Ambassador ensemble will also be performing a joint concert with young people from local community bands under the baton of Dr Robert Childs at The Stables Theatre in Wavendon, Milton Keynes.

During their week long stay in the area, the Ambassador Ensemble is expecting to play for over 3,000 school children across ten primary schools. The hope is that the concerts will inspire the primary school children to go on and learn to play an instrument themselves and eventually go on to play in a band.

The concert on 10th July will include children from two youth bands, Bedford Town Band Brass Academy and Amersham Youth Band, as well as a group of advanced young brass musicians drawn from throughout Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes. All of the children taking part in this event will attend a music workshop with Dr Robert Childs, the NYBBGB’s Director of Artistic Planning, and world renowned brass band conductor and euphonium player.

This project has been a significant part of FBYM’s programme this year and we are delighted to have been given the opportunity of working with them to bring this wonderful opportunity to local children.

Tickets are available on line at The Stables Box Office : The Ambassadors or from the box office 01908 280800.

A joint ambition “to increase understanding and widen opportunity” will see The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) and The National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland (NJBB) spearhead a new reciprocal musical partnership.

Supported by Besson, Horizons will see two players given the opportunity to experience each other’s annual course — starting with two NYBBGB Ambassador Band players heading to Switzerland in July to join their senior band led by conductor Florent Didier.

In August the arrangement will be reversed, with two Swiss players heading to Stonyhurst College in Clitheroe to work under Guest Conductor Prof David King.

The only stipulation being that to apply for the exchange players must be over 18.

Speaking about the ‘Besson Horizons’ programme, Mark Bromley, CEO of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain told 4BR: “It is a shared ambition of our organisations to offer talented youngsters the opportunity to enjoy new experiences — both musical and cultural.

With this incredible support from Besson it is about enhancing what we all hope will be a lifelong passion for music by making connections and friendship that last just as long.”

It is an ambition shared by Monika Bandi Tanner, President of The National Youth Brass of Switzerland.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer incredible experiences for both Swiss and British players — ones that we also believe will ignite a lifelong passion for brass band music making.

We are a community that works best together — inspiring each other, learning from one another by understanding and respecting our cultural differences, but also what we share together in music.”

Supporting this programme allows us not only to help inspire talented young musicians but to also increase understanding and widen opportunity — broadening horizons for youngsters in so many ways through brass banding.

The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain was established in 1952 by Dr Denis Wright, whilst their Swiss counterpart was formed in 1976 by Markus Bach.

Over the years they have offered countless youngsters the opportunity to express their talents under inspirational conductors.

It is believed that the ‘Besson Horizons’ programme is the first official partnership link between the organisations, and builds on the other opportunities youngsters have enjoyed in participating in the European Youth Brass Band.

As Besson spokesperson Euan Meikle explained to 4BR, it is a collaboration that also shares their desire to build lasting links between brass band movements across Europe.

“The future is in the hands of young brass musicians wishing to achieve their potential.

Supporting this programme with the NYBBGB and NJBB allows us not only to help inspire talented young musicians but to also increase understanding and widen opportunity — broadening horizons for youngsters in so many ways through brass banding.”

6th April 2024 sees a special performance for The NYBBGB, as the Youth Band perform at Dora Stoutzker Hall, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Cardiff, in tribute to their former Music Advisor and Conductor Mr. Geoffrey Brand.

Geoffrey sadly passed away on 5th February 2023, so the evening of 6th April will see The NYBBGB celebrate his life and musical contribution to their organisation, as well as the wider brass band community. With Dr Robert Childs as conductor for the evening, and Dr David Childs as the guest soloist, the programme features music connected to Geoffrey Brand either through his arrangement or significant moments with The NYBBGB.

Of the evening Mark Bromley, CEO, said  “Throughout his life Geoffrey Brand was a huge supporter of the NYBBGB and always enjoyed hearing about our latest activities, so it is a great honour to pay tribute to him and his achievements through this concert”.

Geoffrey Brand served as Music Adviser at THE NYBBGB from 1967-1975 and for many years continued an active Vice President and Trustee. His wife, Violet, served as a Member of the Pastoral team and they both looked forward greatly to the courses, watching and listening to young brass players. They realised that whilst the courses were primarily about music it was also an important time for young people to develop as adolescents.

On the occasion of The NYBBGB’s 40th birthday in 1992 Geoffrey wrote : “I still ‘hear’ performances and ‘see’ eager young faces producing them. A special joy is meeting former students who are now contributing to the brass band scene, as players, conductors, administrators- or as parents of future members”.

He followed The NYBBG’s activities closely for the rest of his life – hearing and seeing those young faces of grow up, and following their careers – and he and Violet enjoyed sharing their fond memories of The NYBBGB courses.

For more information and tickets for the evening, please go to What’s On.

The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, has just announced their second Conducting Competition. Supported by a donation from the Garrick Charitable Trust given in memory of Prince Philip, the winner will be offered a unique opportunity to work as Assistant Conductor to, and be mentored by, Professor David King on the Youth Band’s 2024 summer residential course and concert.

“The last competition was a great success, both in terms of the number and quality of applications, and the overall process, it was amazing to see so much enthusiasm and diversity in the entrants. Anna Beresford was a very worthy overall winner, and it was wonderful to see her working alongside Martyn Brabbins and the Band. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what this year’s competition may bring. A huge thank you as well to our partners British Army Music for hosting the live final in Tidworth.”
Mark Bromley, CEO, The NYBBGB

Competition Process
Entrants need to complete a short biography of their experience and upload a short video of their conducting work. Four entrants will be chosen by Dr Robert Chllds and Prof David King to go through to the live final in Tidworth (hosted by British Army Music) on 13th January 2024 in which they will rehearse an NYBBGB Ambassador Band in one of four significant, and well known, brass band works. The four finalists will have their conducting skills judged by a panel comprising Lt Col David Barringer, Capt Andy Porter and Dr Robert Childs.

“British Army Music has a strong affinity with NYBBGB, and it’s a privilege to be hosting the 2024 NYBBGB Conducting Competition. As Commanding Officer Household Division Bands, one of the country’s most iconic professional music organisations, I’m thrilled to have been asked to adjudicate alongside Andrew and Robert to mark the beginning of what I hope will be a long and prosperous partnership, and to help build on the success of the inaugural event in 2023. Young musicians are the life blood of music culture in the UK, and nowhere is this stronger than within the NYBBGB family. I’ve seen first-hand the talent, potential and extremely hard work which underpins these exceptional development opportunities for young musicians, and stepping into the world of conducting has the potential to be life changing for aspiring applicants.”
Lt Col David Barringer, Commanding Officer Household Division Bands, British Army Music.

In order to enter the competition, participants must be aged between 20 and 30 years old on 1st January 2024.

To enter the competition click here. Entries are now open and will close at midnight on 29th October 2023.

Prize
In addition to a £750 cash prize the overall winner will get to work as Assistant Conductor to Professor David King on the Youth Band’s 2024 summer course at Stonyhurst College, and conduct a work at the summer concert in Blackburn Cathedral.

2022 winner
Anna Beresford was the overall winner of the 2022 Young Conductors Competition and of her experience said: “It was a pleasure to work with such dedicated and accomplished young musicians, and alongside feedback from Martyn Brabbins and the staff, I learned a great deal. The experience has absolutely benefitted me as a musician, conductor and educator. Don’t hesitate in applying for the NYBBGB conducting competition!“