There is a rare chance to enjoy a live brass band concert on Thursday morning (7.00am GMT — 21st January), when the National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand will be performing in Hamilton.

The band has been holding its annual course this week and will be livestreaming the concert.

Very lucky

Speaking to 4BR, Emily Richards, Manager of the National Youth Brass Band said: "We are very lucky here in New Zealand to be able to live a relatively normal brass banding life.

Despite the disruption of the last year, or maybe because of it, the band has come to the course very well prepared for a challenging programme which is entitled, 'Ka mua, ka muri: Walking backwards into the future'.

It is inspired by the strong history and tradition of brass banding in New Zealand, while recognising that young players are very much the future of our movement."

Short tour

Emily said that the band convened in Hamilton on Sunday and after five days of intense rehearsals will perform a concert in Hamilton on Thursday before travelling to Whakatane for a concert on Friday, before finishing the tour in North Shore, Auckland on Saturday.

The band is led by Musical Director Alan Spence of Whakatane, whilst the guest soloist is multi-award winning Tyme Marsters on trumpet and flugel. Tyme is the Assistant Musical Director of the youth band as well as being the Musical Director of Woolston Brass.

We are very lucky here in New Zealand to be able to live a relatively normal brass banding lifeEmily Richards, Manager of the National Youth Brass Band

Classic and contemporary

The programme contains a mix of classic and contemporary works — the centrepiece being Oliver Waespi's major composition, 'Hypercube'.

There are also two new commissions on the programme: 'Ka mua, ka muri' by trombonist and former NYBB member Dale Vail, and 'Resplendere' by current NYBB member Kodi Rasmussen.

The band is also looking forward to premiering a new arrangement of the iconic rock song 'Hotel California' by current band member Daniel Dalgleish, which features two members of the band on electric guitar — Jonty Zydenbos (flugel) and Hamish Goodhue (percussion).

Live stream date and times

The concert will be livestreamed at 7.00pm NZ local time (7.00am GMT/8.00am CET) on Thursday 21st January through the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nznybb/