Brass with Beethoven

On Saturday 7 May, eight Sheffield bands will participate in a celebration of brass as part of the Beethoven Revisited Festival. 

The Festival is the creation of Sheffield’s Music in the Round, which specialises in promoting chamber music to a wide audience. At the heart of this Festival is a rich variety of exciting, moving and thought-provoking Beethoven-inspired music, and Sheffield brass bands have been invited to share a selection of Beethoven arrangements and uplifting pieces from the brass band repertoire.

At 11.30 on Saturday h May the bands will form a massed band filling Sheffield’s Tudor Square, in the shadow of the iconic and inspirational Crucible and Lyceum theatres. Of the approximately 150 musicians performing together, around half are learners of all ages.

Stuart Young, Secretary of Loxley Silver Band, explained one of the reasons behind Loxley’s participation: “With so much music in so many styles always available in our artistically vibrant city, it’s often difficult to remember that some of the oldest musical organisations in the city are still around, alive and very much kicking”

Loxley Silver and Training Bands, Oughtibridge Brass and Training Bands, Stannington Training Band and Woodhouse Brass are the main performers, supported by players from Chapeltown Silver and Unite the Union.

The project has given the bands immense regional media exposure, with the Festival's publicity reaching thousands. This includes opportunities for attracting new audiences, players and connections with local companies and arts organisations. Brass Bands England will be on hand throughout the day to help bands gain the maximum benefits from these city collaborations and the Sheffield area bands are being supported by Brass Bands England’s Senior and North of England Liaison Officer, Rachel Vetch-Straw, who has been linking with them over the last two years to build connections and to build creative partners in their city.

This event is the first of a series of opportunities open to bands in 2016.  Look out for BBC Music Day involvement and performances connected with Classical Sheffield and Sheffield Year of Making.      

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