4BR has been informed that the Wessex Brass Band Association is to form a Youth Band.

Rubber stamp

Representatives from WBBA member bands recently met to rubber stamp the proposals which will see an inaugural rehearsal take place at Burgate School in Fordingbridge on Sunday 14th July, with the aim of seeing the band play at the Wessex BBA Winter Festival on 30th November.

Good work

A spokesperson told 4BR: "The meeting recognised that there is good work being undertaken in the member bands which has led to the successful WBBA Training and Youth Band Festival held each January.

However we also recognised that there were also bands that would like to take part that are unable to do so."

They added: "It was felt that forming a Youth Band would further the aspirations of these young musicians and also enable the Association to have a representative band that may be able to contest in the future."

It was felt that forming a Youth Band would further the aspirations of these young musicians and also enable the Association to have a representative band that may be able to contest in the futureWBBA

Encouragement

4BR was informed that WBBA had taken encouragement from the Cornwall BBA and Gloucester BBA who run courses for the youth members of their bands and hope to bring the same enthusiasm to its 30 member bands throughout Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Somerset

The spokesperson concluded: "We wish to support and encourage the fantastic work being undertaken in our bands.

We see the formation of an Association Youth Band as a progressive step and we are fortunate to have the services of Chris Davis as an executive committee member, who has agreed to oversee the band."