The popular Pershore Midsummer Brass Festival is set to become a virtual event this weekend.

The annual gathering of bands in the small market town of Pershore in Worcestershire is to take the innovative approach due to the current COVID-19 restrictions.

Social distancing and pre-recorded

Inspired to ensure that the music making can still be broadcast to the banding world on Saturday 4th July, the organisers have line-up a full day of on-line performances.

Bands who had originally been looking forward to attending the festival have provided pre-recorded performances — some in social distanced mode and others from years gone by.

Starting at 10.00am, the event will begin with the traditional fanfare from the top of the Tower of Pershore Abbey provided by the Jaguar Land Rover Band.

Thereafter there will be a performance every half an hour with the final band taking to the virtual stage at 4.30pm. The final band will by the appropriately entitled, 'Lockdown Brass'.

Lockdown Brass

A spokesperson told 4BR: "Lockdown Brass consists of members from three local bands — Malvern Hills, Malvern Chase and Worcester Concert Brass, all of whom are conducted by Chris Licence. Their most recent recording was 'Song for the Frontline', in honour of NHS workers."

4BR was informed that at present there are 15 bands lined-up to provide the entertainment, although if anyone wants to be added to the rota they can.

The programme will be published on the Pershore Brass Festival Facebook page on Friday 3rd July, and will include details of the Perscoran Band who have supplied archive footage of themselves in performance in celebration of the 80th birthday of founder Gordon Hartley Bennett. Gordon was also the founder of the original festival.

The performances will remain available on YouTube until 10.00pm on Sunday 5th July.

Bands who had originally been looking forward to attending the festival have provided pre-recorded performances — some in social distanced mode and others from years gone by4BR

Back again

John West, chair of the Pershore Midsummer Brass committee told 4BR: "We are of course disappointed not to be together enjoying wonderful music with good company, but be assured that next year we will be striving to make good on what we have missed this year."

To be able to watch the performances on Saturday 4th July, interested listeners can sign up now to the festival social media for updates where links to the performances will be released on the day, or to the YouTube channel https://bit.ly/2YUeVAi