Brass Building Blocks is live
The programme of resources takes players from Grade 4 to 8+, focusing on the six pillars of brass playing (Breathing, Lip strength, Sound, Rhythm, Technique and Musicality) and what they need to aspire to at each level of their development to become a better player.
Dr Robert Childs, Director of Artistic Planning at The NYBBGB, is hopeful the free resources will broaden access to brass teaching for all young people, he said: “Over the past twenty years or so, there has been a steady decline in brass teaching in education and there are a substantial number of young people who can’t afford private tuition. Brass Building Blocks provides help and advice in fundamental areas that lead to progression on several different levels. Hopefully this free resource will assist and support teaching and learning a brass instrument”.
Mark Bromley, NYBBGB CEO would like to see the programme encourage a steady increase in brass playing: “The National Youth Band of Great Britain believes all children and young people should have access to the best players in the country to help them improve their playing skills. With these Brass Building Blocks resources, produced in partnership with the Royal Marines Band Service, we hope to increase this access, helping young players to better understand the skills needed to improve.
We offer free auditions to any child or young person who is interested in joining the NYBBGB, and hope that this initiative, together with others such as Brass Band England’s Brass Foundation programme, will see that number steadily increasing year by year as well as encouraging an overall uplift in young people’s interest in playing brass instruments.”
On their involvement with this new initiative with The NYBBGB, Sam Hairsine from the RMBS said: “The Royal Marines Band Service is delighted to have been part of the Brass Building Blocks project. It’s a wonderful initiative to educate and inspire young musicians, and another brilliant outcome from our partnership with the NYBBGB. The RMBS is a national asset, so to contribute to an online resource for anyone to use with this other great national organisation is fantastic.”
