The Wardle Academy Band has been presented with the 'Practice Performance' Award at the Music for Youth Festival at Symphony Hall in Birmingham.

Russian theme

The band's Russian themed programme set which included sparkling performances of 'Festive Overture' by Shostakovich, the beautiful 'Adagio' from 'Spartacus' by Khachaturian, and 'Excerpts from 'Boris Gudonov' by Mussorgsky saw them gain what was referred by the festival mentors as the 'red letter' award of the event.

The band will now get the opportunity to perform with a leading brass band or orchestral ensemble at Symphony Hall at a later date.

They were all superb — and I couldn't have asked for anything betterMD, Lee Rigg

Thrilled MD

Band MD, Lee Rigg was thrilled with the performance of his young players as he told 4BR: "They were all superb — and I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Lee who also conducted the prize winning Smithy Bridge Primary School at the event, added: "All in all it has been a pretty remarkable year for the Wardle Academy Youth Band — especially winning what we like to call out very own 'Grand Slam' of the British and European titles."