Wardle Academy Youth Band recently competed in the Intermediate Section of the National Youth Brass Band Championships, held at Salford University.

Pipped

As reigning champion, the band was keen to defend their title, although on this occasion they were pipped to another first prize by the worthy winners Pembrokeshire Schools Brass Band.

Wardle’s programme set of ‘A Colwell Suite’ by Philip Harper, ‘Fill the World with Music’ by Erik Sifverberg and ‘Prismatic Light’ by Alan Fernie received warm plaudits from the adjudicators, with Steve Pritchard-Jones stating that it contained ‘confident playing’ and ‘lots of detail’, with Mareika Gray adding, ‘Thank you – I really enjoyed this’.

Despite their hard work, the band missed out on first place by a whisker, so we are determined to return next year and reclaim the titleJanet Emsley

Proud

Janet Emsley, Director of Performing Arts, told 4BR: "Our school’s musicians did themselves proud, and thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Championships.

Despite their hard work, the band missed out on first place by a whisker, so we are determined to return next year and reclaim the title."