Black Dyke Festival

One of the most popular Black Dyke events of the year will take place in Leeds on 5 June, when the Queensbury band once again hosts it own Black Dyke Festival. Led by Director of Music Professor Nicholas Childs, the day provides musical activity and excellence, which culminates in a fantastic afternoon concert at the magnificent Leeds Town Hall at 3.00pm.

Players will have the opportunity to work alongside many of the band’s star soloists in master classes during the day, and players from Yorkshire Youth, Armthorpe Elmfield, Blackley, Delph, Kirton and Trentham bands will also enjoy the opportunity of joining the current Yorkshire Regional Champions on stage for the Gala Concert.

Professor Nicholas Childs said: "This is such an important showcase event for the band; one that we are delighted to organise and promote, and open to as many people as possible. Each year, we have a terrific response and the Gala Concert provides a wonderful musical climax. We offer something for everyone this year from the master classes for conductors and players, to the music performed that will include the UK première of Edward Gregson's wonderful new Cornet Concerto written for Principal Cornet, Richard Marshall, and the world première of Paul Lovatt-Cooper's The Final Journey. With our famous Soloist Showcase featuring the talents of Katrina Marzella and Gary Curtin, and our massed band items that are guaranteed to rock the foundations, we are sure everyone who comes along will enjoy themselves."

A new addition to the Festival this year will be will be a special Conductors Workshop led by Director of Music, Professor Nicholas Childs. This will give delegates the opportunity to work on all aspects of conducting technique on works that will encompass different levels of ability, from Ray Farr's Adventures in Brass and Peter Graham's Shine as the Light, to the trickery of Derek Bourgeois's Serenade.

There are also a number of different spotlight workshops taking place during the day including for cornet, tenor horn and low brass, which are open to players of all ages and standards and which will rehearse parts for the massed bands items with Black Dyke. Principal Cornet, Richard Marshall, said: "Last year, we had over 50 delegates and I was over-the-moon with the response from the players."
Registration on the day commences at 9.00am with the proceedings starting at 9.30am. The cost for the whole day of workshops is just £5.00 and you can register by emailing respectively to:

Conductors - David Hirst: secblackdykeband@btinternet.com

Cornets: Richard Marshall: Richard.B.Marshall@btinternet.com

Horns: Jonathan Bates: jonnythehorn@hotmail.com.

Lower Brass: Gary Curtin: gcurtin@gmail.com

For any further information please contact Alison Childs: alison4horn@btinternet.com

For more stories like this subscribe to BBW Digital by clicking here