Concert: National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain

Royal Marines Band Director, Captain Sam Hairsine, reviews the finale concert to the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain’s Easter 2016 course

Under the direction of 24-year-old Jamie Phillips, Associate Conductor of the Hallé Orchestra, the NYBBGB and the glorious acoustic of Wells Cathedral proved a perfect match.

From the opening drama of Verdi’s Force of Destiny through to the traditional encore of The Cossack, the band showed terrific technique allied with beautiful lyricism. Jamie Phillips brought natural expression and musical intelligence to the ensemble, evident from a broad and versatile bass sound - menacing one moment and a comforting cushion of sound the next - to beautifully detailed accompaniment in support of top-class, end-chair soloists. The maestro’s musical intent shone throughout - it really was a joy to hear musicians taking so much care over every figure in order to contribute to the greater whole.

Juxtaposed with some sublime pianissimo tutti playing, so effective in a band of this size, explosions of power were used judiciously to great effect. Owen Farr was a top-drawer guest soloist and in Lucy Pankhurst’s Horn Concerto we were treated to his bright and soaring sound - powerful and flawless. His technique is such that an astonishing amount of detail could be heard in the Cathedral acoustic, which particularly suited Owen’s encore item, Autumn Leaves.

Through brass band classics such as Vinter’s Salute to Youth, Ball’s Journey Into Freedom and Gregson’s Dances and Arias, the responsive and talented band showed great musical maturity, providing the listener with a wide array of tonal colours under the expert direction of its young conductor. Exciting transcriptions of Berlioz’s Carnaval Romain and Stravinsky’s Firebird were brought to life with élan and flair by a NYBBGB that sounded very much in form from the opening note to the last. It may be clichéd, but on this evidence, the future of brass bands is in safe hands.

Photo: Owen Farr in full flow with the NYBBGB at Wells Cathedral

Learn more about the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain here

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