NYBBS summer school attracts record numbers

A record number of young people have signed up for this year’s National Youth Brass Band of Scotland (NYBBS) summer course at the end of next month.

The residential course will take place at the Strathallan School, Forgendenny, Perthshire from Sunday 30 July to Saturday 5 August, culminating in two end-of-course concerts at Perth Concert Hall.

For the brass and percussion players attending NYBBS 2023 from across Scotland, the emphasis will be on having fun as well as enjoying the full learning experience.

Sectional practice sessions, master classes and full band rehearsals will provide the opportunity for some serious music making for the students while ‘extra curricular’ events will bring a more lively element to the course.

There will be 185 students this year, a number that has been swollen by the increased attendees for the Children's band (64), many of them first-timers. There is the same number of registrations for the Senior band and 57 for the Reserve band.

Following the success of last year’s initiative, there will also be an Open Day on Thursday 3 August 10.30am-2.00pm for parents and young people who wish to know what goes on at a summer course and who may be contemplating signing up in the future.

The occasion will give potential new NYBBS members the opportunity to become immersed in the summer school experience, meeting pastoral and music staff, joining a sectional rehearsal and exploring the Strathallan campus. This can be booked via Eventbrite.

The Saturday afternoon concert by the Children’s band, starting at 3pm, can also be booked via Eventbrite and the joint Reserve/Senior bands concert, which starts at 6.30pm, is bookable here.

Prior to these two concerts, the Reserve band will be appearing at the Edinburgh International Festival at 12 noon. The following day the Senior band players will be following in their footsteps to take part in the same event.

The NYBBS summer course is supported with funding from Creative Scotland through its Youth Music Initiative.

Attendees at last year's NYBBS summer school

Musical directors for the course are Ian Porthouse (Senior), John Boax (Reserve) and Alan Fernie (Children's). Sectional tutors are as follows:

Senior

Richard Poole (front row cornets)

Leanne Porthouse (back row cornets)

Sheona Wade (horns/flugels)

Sion Rhys Jones (euphoniums/baritones)

Ryan Richards (trombones)

Les Neish (basses)

Mark Landon (percussion)

Reserve

Gareth Bowman (front row cornets)

Philippa MacDougall (back row cornets)

Sandy Coffin (horns/flugels)

Chris Shanks (euphoniums/baritones/basses)

Charlie Farren (trombones)

Heather McMillan (percussion)

Children's

Caroline Farren (front row cornets)

Eion Tonner (back row cornets)

Stuart Black (horns/flugels)

Gary Williams (euphoniums/baritones/basses)

Mark Bell (trombones)

Iona Robinson (percussion)