The PRS Foundation and the Southbank Centre has announced a new work commissioned by the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain has been chosen to be performed by them at its critically acclaimed New Music Biennial 2022 festival.

Split the Air

'Split the Air', by Ivor Novello winning composer Martin Green was commissioned by the band and Lepus Productions.

The composer states that it "brings scale and excitement, presenting brass in its purest form and centering young players of this music at the heart of their tradition and the future of the brass band community."

He adds: "It is inspired by band communities, the future of the tradition, and brass bands' relationship to industry."

Huge honour

Mark Bromley, CEO of the NYBBGB told 4BR:: "We were delighted to be asked to collaborate with Martin Green on 'Split the Air', from his new stage work 'The Servant' which portrays the challenges life throws at a young tenor horn player and how she overcomes them.

It is a huge honour to have been selected to perform this new work at such a prestigious event."

It is a huge honour to have been selected to perform this new work at such a prestigious eventNYBBGB CEO, Mark Bromley

Time and place

The New Music Biennial 2022 festival weekends will take place both in Coventry in various venues as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations, and at London's Southbank Centre.

Friday 22nd — Sunday 24th April: Coventry (Free tickets released on 25 January 2022)
Friday 1st — Sunday 3rd July: Southbank Centre (Free tickets released on 23 April 2022

In addition to the performances, the New Music Biennial will be broadcast across BBC Radio 3 and pieces will be available through NMC Recordings.