Flowers embrace new education partnership
The Flowers band has played for a final time in their Quedgeley based rehearsal facility. Following a studio recording this weekend, they'll begin relocating to their new home, Barbican House in the centre of Gloucester, where they'll embark on a partnership with the innovative Gloucester Academy of Music.
With several rehearsal halls and tuition rooms, Gloucester Academy of Music, also affiliated with the Trinity Laben Conservatoire of Music and Dance, currently offers an exceptional level of professional music tuition, creating musical opportunities for all ages and abilities.
Paul Richards, Flowers' Band Manager enthused: “We are delighted to enter into a strategic partnership that will see the creation of a dedicated rehearsal space, furthering our musical aspirations as one of the UK’s top brass bands. We are also excited to have the opportunity to work closely with the Gloucestershire Academy of Music, contributing to the musical and cultural development of Gloucester and its surrounding areas.”
The search for a new rehearsal space began at the end of last year, in knowledge that housing development in Quedgeley would negatively impact the band’s current HQ. Following a campaign, led by BBC Radio Gloucestershire, several options were presented to the band, but the opportunity to create a meaningful partnership with the Gloucester Academy of Music was too good not to pursue.
Flowers’ Principal Conductor, David Childs commented: “In recent months the band’s management has worked tirelessly to bring this partnership to fruition and we’re delighted that the organisation now has an opportunity to align itself with an education establishment of such prestige. Flowers once had a thriving youth band that produced many fine players. It is hoped that this partnership will not only give the band a state-of-the-art headquarters, but once again provide Flowers with the opportunity to build for the future, encouraging and nurturing local talent along the way.”
