UYO Outreach Series – Junior Wind Band Day

» 22 March 2013

UYO Outreach Series – Junior Wind Band Day

On Saturday the 16th of March more than 150 primary school age woodwind and brass players met in the City of Belfast School of Music for a Junior Wind Band Day organised by the Ulster Youth Orchestra in association with the BELB Music Service. The trio of guest tutors, who led the event, were Wendy Topping and Angela Gilby, currently leading educators and band conductors from Hertfordshire, and Mike Fowles, a leading conductor from the professional brass band world.

The day opened with a combined group session of sequential rhythmic clapping and singing, all designed to waken everyone up and prepare the members of the three wind bands for the individual band rehearsals to follow. In the morning and afternoon sessions, each group studied its own set repertoire, which included “Funky, Rockin’ Choo Choo” and “Gimme Some Lovin” and a piece that all three bands would play together - “Defying Gravity.”

At 3.00pm, a huge audience of parents, brothers and sisters, grannies and grandpas crowded into the School’s gymnasium for an amazing informal concert. After but a few hours of inspirational coaching, the young musicians were on their mettle. Each band performed in turn at a new and high standard. Finally, Mike Fowles conducted all three bands in a passionate rendition of “Defying Gravity”, which brought the day to a memorable climax.

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