Shirebrook Town Council’s long term commitment to the promotion of brass banding within its community has received a huge boost following the news that it has raised £75,000 for future projects.

Film project

With £15,000 of the amount awarded by Arts Council England's ‘Grants for the Arts’ funding, one exciting undertaking will see the production of an innovative film project and premiere in 2016 with Black Dyke Band.

The 14-minute film, entitled, ‘Childs Play’ will focus on children's play and how it has evolved since Victorian times, incorporating traditional playground songs and nursery rhymes.

Special commission

The 2014 ‘Double Champion’ will provide the specially commissioned soundtrack written by Paul Lovatt-Cooper, with narration by Frank Renton. It will be produced by former Desford player, Martyn Harris, Creative Director of Absolute Video.

Paul will spend time at Shirebrook Academy School with the Derbyshire Music Partnership to discover what rhymes and songs can be incorporated into his score, and will work with pupils and students at local primary schools using the expertise of Derby City & County Music Partnership (Derbyshire Music Hub) choral team.

It is also hoped that the score will also be utilised as a brass band test piece in the future.

World premiere

Meanwhile, Black Dyke Director of Music, Professor Nicholas Childs, who will act as Music Adviser to the project, will work with Shirebrook Miners Welfare Unison Band and Shirebrook Academy School to prepare the film music for a world premiere performance in November 2016.

It’s important to us that the music has an enduring legacy. With this in mind, Paul has been given a brief to make the piece challenging and suitable as a test piece for competition useCarole Crompton

Enduring legacy

Carole Crompton, who worked closely on securing the funding told 4BR:

“It’s important to us that the music has an enduring legacy. With this in mind, Paul has been given a brief to make the piece challenging and suitable as a test piece for competition use.”

Other projects

The £75,000 raised from different sources included the National Lottery and ‘Grants for the Arts’ funding will also help to fund future brass band projects such as the Shirebrook Town Festival, brass workshops, concerts by Grimethorpe Colliery, Black Dyke and Foden’s, new music commissions, park concerts and an August Bank Holiday Brass Explosion.