National Festival of Music For Youth
Unique opportunity for the UK’s Young Brass Musicians
Centenary Square, Thursday 9 July, 5.00pm
On Thursday 9 July, as part of the National Festival, Music for Youth and some of the UK’s finest young brass bands plan to take over Centenary Square in Birmingham to perform Ziggurat*, by Judith Bingham which was commissioned by the BBC as a Fanfare to open Brass Day at the Proms in 2007.
Not only will Judith Bingham herself be in Birmingham to meet the young performers and to hear this unique performance of her piece, but also David Purser, renowned trombonist and Head of Brass at Birmingham Conservatoire will be leading this performance. David will also be running Ziggurat workshops exclusively for the National Festival Brass Bands throughout the day.
Music publishers Edition Peters have sponsored the whole brass day and will publish the music on their website in advance so that the musicians can download it in advance. They will also be on hand during the day to talk through Judith’s brass writing as well as the rest of their catalogue.
“If every brass band signs up to be involved a total of 900 brass musicians will play together. This will be a unique experience for the students, staff, for Judith, David and for the people of Birmingham!” says Lincoln Abbotts, Chief Executive at Music for Youth.
Music for Youth wants to bring Birmingham to a standstill and showcase the best of British Brass!
Alongside this, you can witness the technical virtuosity of 22 of the UK’s finest young brass bands as they perform in Symphony Hall throughout the day, with a break at 4.30pm as they descend on Centenary Square for the big brass extravaganza at 5pm! Alongside the brass performances, gifted chamber musicians will perform in Town Hall and later on, some of the best of the UK’s up-and-coming young bands will perform over in the O2 Academy 2.
*‘Ziggurat’ is a musical depiction of the fabled Babylonian Etemenanki ziggurat – a structure of such immense proportions that it was said to be the model for the biblical ‘Tower of Babel’.
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