'The Brass Brigade', a new primary school initiative led by St. John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate is making an immediate impact in delivering an introduction to brass playing to young children.

Over the last 6 weeks, six primary schools have signed up to the project which is being led by Craig Ratcliffe, Director of Music at St. John Fisher. He told 4BR: "It's such an exciting start. Over 200 students will have the opportunity to play a brass instrument this academic year."

Partnership

The project has seen the school work in partnership with Harrogate and Wetherby Silver Bands as well as the Harrogate International Festivals, and has just finished at its first primary school with 33 students inspiring the whole school in a short concert.

Speaking about the results, Jo Roxby, a class teacher at St. Robert's Catholic Primary School in Harrogate said: "This has been one of the best things we've done in school. All the students have looked forward to Monday mornings!"

Passionate purpose

Craig, who is also MD of both the Harrogate and Wetherby Silver Bands added: "We continue to see the downward trend of youngsters entering secondary school with limited opportunities to engage with peripatetic lessons at primary school.

I've been afforded the time to get out into our community and teach something which I'm passionate about. I believe that brass bands can deliver music and learning in a way that no other ensemble can."

The project means that students get a pTrumpet or pTrombone to take home and play for six weeks so they can practice and get to grips with the instrument.

Brass Brigade

As a result, eight of the class have decided they want to carry on playing and are now official members of 'The Brass Brigade Harrogate'.

A delighted Simon Lancaster-Brown, Chairperson of Harrogate Band added: "In forming the Brass Brigade Harrogate, our band members have come together to support these new musicians in a weekly rehearsal so they can access free tuition with their support.

We are completely committed to getting more young people playing and this project has partnership at its heart, which makes it unique".

The Brass Brigade will now move on to St. Josephs School in Wetherby with Wetherby Silver Band forming their own Brass Brigade band on a Tuesday evening. Young people from across the project will come together at the end of the year in a 'Big Brass Blow' to show what they have been up to.

We are completely committed to getting more young people playing and this project has partnership at its heart, which makes it uniqueHarrogate Band

Just the beginning

Along with the bands, all Brass Brigade members will become a Junior Friend of the Harrogate Festival, meaning they can access free tickets to festival concerts and events throughout the year.

"Hopefully this is just the beginning,"said Craig. "We have a number of great bands in the area and we want to support them. Being able to get directly into primary schools and follow up with evening tuition, at no cost to parents for an instrument is a great start."