Back in April, the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain was in concert with the National Youth Orchestra under the direction of Jessica Cottis. As part of a Festival of Youth, jointly promoted by the two organisations, we joined on stage to perform Higgin’s Concerto Grosso for brass band and orchestra under the direction of Guest Conductor Tess Jackson.
Higgins’ Concerto Gross is a large-scale piece in five movements that explores brass band history and style, mixing social history with music and politics. Listen to an excerpt here.
Read Fiona Maddocks’ full article in The Guardian here.
We are delighted to announce that The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) Ambassador Ensemble will be performing at Halifax Youth Band Festival at Halifax Minster on Saturday 8th February 2025 at 1.30pm alongside over 150 performers from the following ten amazing youth and training bands…
Thanks to funding from CultureDale, Halifax Youth Band Festival have commissioned Nick Brocklehurst to compose a new work ‘Band Together’ which will be performed during the massed band finale.
Tickets are on sale now here and are priced at £10 and FREE for under 16s.
Our Young Composers’ Competition closes in just under 3 weeks on 31st December 2024
In our second Young Composers’ Competition, we are looking for six new works (three winners and three runners up). The winning pieces will be rehearsed at the NYBBGB summer course and will be performed at the Youth Band summer concert in the magnificent Amaryllis Fleming Hall of the Royal College of Music, London under the baton of Maestro Martyn Brabbins on 9th August 2025.
Our first Young Composers’ Competition was won by Daniel Hall with his piece ‘Dieu Et Mon Droit’, which was performed by the Youth Band at Saffron Hall last Summer, conducted by Sarah Ioannides.
The entries will be judged by Composer Gavin Higgins, Maestro Martyn Brabbins and Conductor and Educator Dr Robert Childs.
For more details on our Composer’s Competition and to enter, please go here.
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.
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.
In our second Young Composers’ Competition, we are looking for six new works (three winners and three runners up). The winning pieces will be rehearsed at the NYBBGB summer course and performed at the Youth Band summer concert in the magnificent Amaryllis Fleming Hall of the Royal College of Music, London under the baton of Maestro Martyn Brabbins on 9th August 2025.
Our first Young Composers’ Competition was won by Daniel Hall with his piece ‘Dieu Et Mon Droit’, which was performed by the Youth Band, conducted by Sarah Ioannides. Lennert Van Laenen from Belgium was the runner up and had his piece performed by the Children’s Band, conducted by Mareika Gray. The judges also highly commended pieces submitted by Jack Yagerline (which was also performed by the Youth Band) and Charlotte McGregor Graham.
The NYBBGB has subsequently commissioned both Daniel Hall and Charlotte McGregor-Graham to write new works.
The entries will be judged by Composer Gavin Higgins, Maestro Martyn Brabbins and Conductor and Educator Dr Robert Childs.
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.
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.”
The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) is looking forward to providing the world premiere of ‘Fragile Earth’, its major new commission that has been written by Welsh composer Sir Karl Jenkins.
In his first major work for the brass band medium, Sir Karl Jenkins the multi award-winning, best-selling composer has embraced the challenge of highlighting climate change and the healing power of nature.
Climate change
The commission sees the NYBBGB partnering The Wildlife Trusts, to bring together young people through the power of music with the hope that it will shine a timely light on climate change and biodiversity loss, and how it affects them.
Speaking to 4BR, Mark Bromley NYBBGB’s CEO said: “In a world that is alarmingly fragile, I hope that through the combination of Sir Karl’s captivating music and the invaluable advocacy of the Wildlife Trusts we will raise awareness about the state of our planet and contribute to fostering positive change for the environment we cherish.”
Meanwhile, Wildlife Trusts CEO Craig Bennett added: “Nature can be enjoyed and appreciated in a million different ways, including through music.
It’s fantastic that Sir Karl Jenkins is shining a light on the importance of nature in tackling climate change and giving young people an opportunity to express their feelings about these issues.
We can all play our part in reversing nature loss, from practical action to supporting campaigns to inspiring others to join the cause. Fragile Earth is a brilliant way of helping to spread a positive and important message.”
Importance
Having met young people from both organisations, Sir Karl has used their discussions to inform his three-movement work, stating: “I hope that my music and their advocacy can in some small way help to highlight the importance of the issue and provoke change.”
The three movement are entitled, ‘Scorched Earth’, ‘The Blue’ and ‘Flight’ — each looking at the effects of human interaction with nature.
‘Scorched Earth’ reflects on man’s rapacious exploitation of natural resources — one that leaves little or nothing behind of value, except a please for hope that the cycle can be broken.
‘The Blue’ offers a reflection of the oceans and the effect on its most glorious inhabitant, the Blue Whale. Again the music reflects both of it majesty as well as its fragility.
Finally, ‘Flight’ — and the movement of all living animals, including man, across the planet to secure safe havens. The work ends in optimism that the very power of nature can be harnessed for good, although it must now be helped with its own recovery.
Premiere
‘Fragile Earth’ will receive its world première performance by the NYBBGB on Saturday 6th April at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff and will be performed again at Liverpool University’s Tung Auditorium on Saturday 13th April.
“I hope that my music and their advocacy can in some small way help to highlight the importance of the issue and provoke change.” Sir Karl Jenkins.
More Information
For more information and tickets please go to What’s On.
24-year-old Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduate Joshua Parkhill has won our second Young Conductors Competition.
In a high-quality final hosted by British Army Music in Tidworth and sponsored by The Garrick Charitable Trust, Joshua was joined by Andreas Ashkikis, Felicity Cliffe and Craig Sanders as they were in turn asked to work on one of four demanding compositions.
British Army Band Tidworth musicians not only worked alongside the conductors but also with the musicians of The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain who were part of the day. Army Director of Music Captain Andrew Porter and Principal Director of Music Lieutenant Colonel Dave Barringer were also on hand to put the band through their paces and assist in the adjudication process.
Super day
At the end of a super day it was Joshua who won the cash prize of £750. He will now get to work as Assistant Conductor to Prof David King on the Youth Band’s 2024 summer course at Stonyhurst College, as well as conduct a work at the summer course concert in Blackburn Cathedral.
Speaking to 4BR, Joshua said: “I’m thrilled of course, and my congratulations go to the other superb finalists. Prof King is a bit of a brass band musical icon for me, and I regularly go through a play list of works he has conducted to get inspiration.”
He added: “It was fantastic to work with such great musicians from both the youth band and British Army on Peter Graham’s ‘Shine as the Light’ — and I was so lucky that I was able to ring him for a quick pep talk before I took to the stage.
I think it really gave me an extra boost of confidence. My thanks also go to the adjudicators for their helpful feedback and constructive comments which will help me continue to improve my brass band conducting skills.”
Draw
Earlier there was a draw for the order to direct with the bands, as well as for the music they would work on, with the other finalists showcasing their qualities on Eric Ball’s ‘Resurgam’, ‘Music for a Festival’ by Philip Sparke and ‘Dimensions’ by Peter Graham.
Speaking about the excellent overall standard, NYBBGB Artistic Director and competition judge chair Dr Robert Childs told 4BR: “All four finalists were excellent and demonstrated elegance, clarity and great communication skills.
Joshua had clearly done thorough research of the score and not only guided the band through a very efficient and musical interpretation of ‘Shine As The Light’, but he also gave the band great insight into the deeper meaning of this work.”
This competition has also benefitted me enormously and I would recommend any young conductor to enter in the future.”
Joshua Parkhill conducting Peter Graham’s Shine as the Light
Bright and busy future
The future is certainly bright and busy for Joshua as he balances a freelance trombone playing career with his brass band conducting.
He added: “Since graduating I’ve managed to build up playing and conducting commitments and I’m really enjoying working as MD with Brass Sounds Inverclyde and Johnston as well as with UNISON Kinneil as Resident Conductor.
It has also meant getting to grips with some pretty demanding test-pieces for the Regional Championships, so that has also helped me a great deal in my conducting. This competition has also benefitted me enormously and I would recommend any young conductor to enter in the future.”
Foundation stone support
Adding his congratulations, NYBBGB CEO Mark Bromley commented: “Congratulations to Joshua and to Andreas, Felicity and Craig, all of whom have outstanding conducting careers ahead of them.
My thanks also to our partners British Army Music and The Garrick Charitable Trust who have recognised and supported the importance of this competition as a foundation stone to developing future brass band conducting talent.”
After more than a year of piloting, thought and refinement, we’re excited to officially launch The NYBBGB Ambassador Band!
The Ambassador Band will be a standard sized brass band (which may be broken down into smaller ensembles for certain performances and events) and will comprise the best musicians of The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.
“Nurturing young talent in all of its forms is an integral part of The NYBBGB’s mission, with young people encouraged to develop their confidence and leadership skills, so each member of the Ambassador Band has been chosen not only for their musical talents, but also for the example they set to other members of the Youth and Children’s Band.” said Mark Bromley, CEO.
The Band’s inaugural performance is a collaboration with the National Youth Orchestra (NYO) for the youth world premiere of Gavin Higgins’ Concerto Grosso in Liverpool and London, and promises to be an exceptional event. Of the collaboration Gavin said: “I am truly honoured that The NYBBGB and NYO will showcase my Concerto Grsso in London and Liverpool next Easter. These remarkable institutions, comprised of exceptionally talented young musicians, embody a promising future in the world of music.”
NYBBGB Director of Artistic Planning Robert Childs reflected on the historic project: “I’ve been associated with The NYBBGB for fifty years and this collaboration with NYO on Gavin Higgins’ composition is the most prestigious event I can remember. Being a member of the Ambassador Band is the highest accolade a player can receive from The NYBBGB. It is membership of a truly elite ensemble.”
The members of The 2024 NYBBGB Ambassador Band are: Elizabeth Chung, Lewis Barton, Stephanie Jonas, Katie Skey, Isabel Deans, Ciaran Reiff-Marganiec, Alexander Rebel, Nerys Davies, Phoebe Mallinson, George Fearnley, Alice Clarke, Molly Clough, Matthew Hurst, William Bennett, Malachy Cullen, Thomas Hall, Rosa Shepherd, Nathaniel Wardroper-Hughes, Jake Bartlett, Harry Porthouse, Imogen Fewster, Ben Russon and Eleanor Gaskell.
Details and tickets of our collaboration with the NYO on Gavin Higgins’ Concerto Grosso in Liverpool and London can be found on our What’s On page.
