Land of the Rising Sun for girls of Black Dyke

Black Dyke Band are pleased to announce that its female members - known colloquially as Black Dyke’s Team Girl - will travel to Japan this July for a week-long tour of Osaka and the surrounding Kansai region.

Team Girl will travel to Japan’s second largest city, Osaka, to perform with Girls Brass Band Mikeneko; an all-female band comprising top players from around Japan. Team Girl and Mikeneko will perform together in a major concert in the city's Concert Hall on 24 July 2016. They will then depart for Nishinomiya - a smaller city halfway between Osaka and Kobe - to deliver masterclasses and workshops for high school students and their families. 

A spokeswoman for Team Girl commented: “The ladies of Black Dyke are thrilled to be invited to Japan this summer. The brass band scene is thriving in Japan and we are really looking forward to working with the enthusiastic musicians there. We are especially excited to perform with Girls Brass Band Mikeneneko, which is a leading light in female music-making in Japan. We are proud to be associated with the band and help support its endeavours; not just musically but also in the community where the players strive to promote and deliver music opportunities for women from all backgrounds.”

“Team Girl are also looking forward to the educational element of our trip - including tutoring high school students and performing a Mum & Kids concert in Nishinomiya - as well as experiencing the famous Japanese culture and hospitality.”

Black Dyke’s Musical Director Professor Nicholas Childs commented: “ We are thrilled that the ladies are visiting Japan. They are all wonderfully gifted players and great ambassadors for Black Dyke.”

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