NYBBS finishing touches to Brass at the Park programme

As this year’s National Youth Brass Band of Scotland (NYBBS) summer course reaches the end of the week, the final touches are being made to the programmes of the three bands for Sunday’s Brass at the Park musical tribute to former conductor emeritus Richard Evans.

Almost 200 students have been taking part in sectional practice sessions, one-to-one tuition, master classes and full band rehearsals in preparation for the celebration of the life and legacy of the popular and charismatic musical director.

Brass at the Park – in the grounds of the Strathallan School in Forgandenny, Perthshire – replaces the traditional end-of-course concert and will take the form of a fun-filled extravaganza featuring special guests Dalmellington and Rushen Silver bands, with whom Richard worked for many years, Strathallan Pipe Band and Perth & Kinross Schools Big Band and Percussion Ensemble.

Video recordings of Tokyo City Concert Band, another ensemble of which he was guest MD, will be shown between the live performances. Pictures that Scottish bandspeople have of Richard over the years will form part of a screened photographic show of the life and times of the popular MD.

Visitors to Brass at the Park are in for a real musical treat. The event, which starts at 11am, is open to the public as well as brass band enthusiasts and supporters and tickets can be obtained at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/scottish-brass-band-association. Donations on the day will go to the British Heart Foundation and towards the setting up of a bursary fund in Richard Evans’ name to support future NYBBS students.

NYBBS 2024 students with musical directors, course tutors and pastoral and support staff in the grounds of Strathallan School

The programmes of the three NYBBS bands on Sunday will be:

Senior band (MD Ian Porthouse)

Flight (Louisa Trewartha)

Sinfonietta (Gordon Langford)

Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind (Hubert Parry, arr Leigh Baker)

Sinfonietta No.3 (Etienne Crausaz) 

Blackbird (Lennon and McCartney, arr Andy Austin)

Peterloo Overture (Malcolm Arnold, arr Andrew Duncan)

Reserve band (MD John Boax)

Concert Prelude (Philip Sparke)

Ceramic City Overture (Stuart Johnson)

Embers (Tom Davoren)

Appalachian Mountain Folk Song Suite (James Curnow)

Daniel (Barry Gott)

March Box Set (arr Gwyn Evans)

All Creatures Praise (Steven Ponsford)

Apolonia (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Tan Dun, arr Paul Drury)

Children’s band (MD Alan Fernie)

Emerging Light, première performance (Gareth Bowman)

Suite: Music of the 16th Century (Gastoldi, Byrd, Susato)

St Maughold's Church, première performance (NYBBS student composer Henry Dormer)

The Green, Green Grass, percussion feature (George Ezra)

Petit Suite de Ballet (Eric Ball)

True and Trusty (John Greenwood)

When I'm 64 (Lennon/McCartney)

Twa' Scots Bairnsangs (Alan Fernie)

Brass at the Park will culminate in a massed bands performance of Thanks, Boss!, the march written by Alan Fernie as a lasting musical tribute to Richard Evans.