*
banner

New youth venture spearheads participation, inspiration and enjoyment

An exciting new initiative spearheaded by Sam Harrison of Elland Youth Band aims to bring a different approach to showcasing youth band musical talent.

Harrison
  Sam Harrison hopes the event will showcase the importance of participation, inspiration and enjoyment in youth banding...

An exciting new youth band venture is being spearheaded next month by the award winning Elland Silver Youth Band.

Following the cancellation of the Action Research Championships, the organisation has decided to promote its own non-competitive youth brass band festival, aimed at providing ensembles with the opportunity to showcase their performance talents at an outstanding venue.

Six ensembles

The Halifax Youth Brass Band Festival will be held on Saturday 9th February at Halifax Minster (HX1 1QL) and will see six junior and youth ensembles each perform a 20-minute programme, culminating a massed band finale to round off the day.

Those taking part are Elland Silver Youth & Training Bands, Wardle Junior Band from Rochdale, HD9 Youth Band from Huddersfield and the Red Admiral Youth Band from Mawdesley.

It will start at 2.00pm and will finish at around 5.30pm.

Participation, inspiration and enjoyment

The festival is being jointly organised jointly Samantha Harrison, MD of Elland Silver Youth & Training bands and Canon Hilary Barber from Halifax Minster.

"We want to provide an event which brings young people from different bands together to perform, watch and listen to each other,"Sam told 4BR.

"Halifax Minster is a wonderful venue, with excellent acoustics, and was keen to help promote a youth initiative. It's an exciting new venture for us and a first for the Minster.

We also hope we can now link up with others to add to the event and bring an ever greater emphasis on participation, inspiration and enjoyment — the core elements that we all believe are essential for encouraging the development of youth players in community bands."

We hope we link up with others to add to the event and bring an ever greater emphasis on participation, inspiration and enjoyment — the core elements that we all believe are essential for encouraging the development of youth playersSam Harrison

Tickets:

Tickets for the event will be £8 and FREE to under 16's and can be purchased in ordered in advance from Kathleen Harrison on 01484 717126 or directly from Halifax Minster or online at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/halifax-youth-brass-band-festival-tickets-54972806143?aff=efbeventtix&fbclid=IwAR08Qlv-ubvCuRRKj5NyPY8dsvVHgiP5F8G7boe88PZXWZJdEV6xuC4tVQA

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


Civic Hall

Result: 2026 Midlands Regional Championships Second Section

March 15 • Harborough Band claims the last Midlands title on offer for this year as they are joined in York by Leicestershire Co-op.


markham

Results: 2026 Welsh Regional Championships

March 14 • Cory reclaims the Welsh title as Parc & Dare, Markham & District, City of Cardiff (M2) and Gwaun Cae Gurwen claim section honours.


Pendennis

Results: 2026 West of England Regional Championships

March 14 • Flowers reclaim Area title with section wins for Lympstone, Lanner & District, St Pinnock and Pendennis Brass in Torquay


Shine

Ready to shine? NYBBGB offer audition skills workshops

March 14 • There are a trio of FREE audition skills workshops on offer from the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain to help young player's skills sets.


Regent Hall Concerts - Slide Effect Trombone Quartet

Friday 20 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London. . W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Welsh Guards Band Septet

Friday 20 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Enderby Band - Around the World in 80 Minutes

Friday 20 March • Wycliffe Rooms, George St, Lutterworth LE17 4ED


Contest: London & Southern Counties Regional Championships

Saturday 21 March • Arts & Leisure Centre, Lytton Way, Stevenage SG1 1LZ


Longridge Band - Spring Concert

Saturday 21 March • Longridge Civic Hall, 1 Calder Avenue, Longridge, Preston PR3 3HT


St John's Band (Mossley)

March 15 • We are a friendly, welcoming 4th section band based in Tameside, Greater Manchester. Following our 4th place at the North West regionals, we are looking for a SOLO CORNET player (position negotiable). We rehearse on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.


St John's Band (Mossley)

March 15 • We are a friendly, welcoming 4th section band based in Tameside, Greater Manchester.. . . Following our 4th place at the North West regionals, we are looking for a BBb BASS player.. . . We rehearse on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.


Linthwaite Band

March 14 • We are a welcoming 4th section contesting Band with a vacancy for a kit player. Our calendar is filling up with various contests and engagements to fulfil through the year.


Gordon Eddison

B Ed (Hons). Member AoBBA.
Conductor and Adjudicator.


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd