Scotland’s newest senior brass band will make its debut performance at an arts and football project which is one of countries biggest contributions to the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Spruce

The Edinburgh Brass Band, which held its first rehearsal in April, will perform in front of 1,000 spectators at the Forest Pitch football tournament which is being staged in a purpose-built arena created in the midst of spruce plantation near Selkirk.

Craig Coulthard, the Edinburgh-based artist behind the project, was keen to support the musicians by offering them a leading role, with the band helping to create a sense of excitement as spectators walk through woodland paths towards the pitch as they gather to watch two highly unusual matches on 21st July.

Unusual games

The games are being played by four teams (two male and two female) which are largely made up of new Scots – people who have come to the country in recent years for family reasons, for work, study or in search of safety.

The players come from as far apart as Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria and Afghanistan – but all are keen to celebrate Scottish culture, its love of football and the amateur spirit which was the inspiration for the modern Olympics.

Brilliant

Craig said: "It’s brilliant to see a new brass band being formed when we are so used to the idea of them being lost due to the decline in the traditional industries and local communities that were the bedrock of their support.

Having more than 20 musicians playing on the pitch will be a brilliant way to greet the spectators, and it will be amazing to come out from among the trees and see a full scale brass band playing in the middle of a clearing."

The players come from as far apart as Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria and Afghanistan – but all are keen to celebrate Scottish culture, its love of football4BR

Under wraps

Exactly what the band will play is being kept under wraps as a surprise for the event itself. The musicians will be providing entertainment before the games, between the matches and at the end, when the spectators and players begin to drift away.

Band spokesperson Peter Ottery told 4BR: "Forest Pitch is so unusual – the idea of a football pitch in the middle of a forest is just great. I’ve played in all sorts of places, but never a venue like that."

He added: "There’s something really nice about it, and the way the music will echo round the woods. It will be a brilliant debut for us – a big audience and a role in the Cultural Olympiad, it couldn’t be better."

Sergeant Pepper

The band will appear in specially-designed colourful T shirts for Forest Pitch, but is hoping to find sponsors who will help them afford their own Sergeant Pepper-style uniforms for the future.

Peter said: "Eventually we would really love to have some traditional uniforms – they add a real dash. They are pretty expensive, but would look wonderful if we were playing in a park bandstand or at a community event."