The Yorkshire Youth Band has given the Tour de France bike race a wonderful musical aperitif start after launching the accompanying ‘Tour de Brass’ series for the world famous event at the Barbican in York.

Sprint finish

The first half of the concert featured Black Dyke under the baton of Professor Nicholas Childs, with the talented youngsters joining forces with their senior counterparts for a rousing second half performance that certainly set the pulses racing as fast as any Tour de France sprint finish!

The concert was presented by David Hoyle from BBC Yorkshire Brass, with the ‘Yorkshire Prom’ featuring works by Black Dyke’s own Jonathan Bates as well as a wonderful reprise of Philip Wilby's evocative ‘Brass’, with guest narrator and presenter Ian McMillan — the famous ‘Bard of Barnsley’.

Huge thrill

Yorkshire Youth Band Administrator Alison Childs told 4BR that the response from the audience on the day had given everyone a huge thrill.

"The young players of the Yorkshire Youth Band have worked so hard over the past few weeks preparing for this high profile event helped by Richard Marshall, Brett Baker, Gary Curtin, Zoe Hancock, John O'Brien and Matthew Routley of Black Dyke.

All that hard work paid off brilliantly thanks to the generous support of Besson Musical Instruments and a great audience who really appreciated the young musical talent that was on show."

Appreciated

Alison added: "However, it is one thing to do the preparation, but the buzz of sharing the platform with Black Dyke and a packed audience was a real thrill for Yorkshire's premier youth band — and now everyone can’t wait for the Tour de France itself to arrive!"

the buzz of sharing the platform with Black Dyke and a packed audience was a real thrill for Yorkshire's premier youth band — and now everyone can’t wait for the Tour de France itself to arriveAlison Childs

Join the fun

Anyone wishing to find out further details of how to join the YYBB should contact: Alison Childs, Administrator: alison4horn@btinternet.com