With the increase of new members joining the Brass Academy we are starting to run short of instruments. 

We currently have a substantial list of missing instruments, some of which are still signed out to current and past members. 

This week we will be starting to contact ex players we believe to still have a loaned SGBB instrument. 
If you have more than one instrument at home not being used, or are an ex-member and still have a instrument, please drop off for me at the bandroom or contact me on 07973442249 or email richardwilton@nesyork.org to arrange collection. 

Your help and assistance in this matter would be very much appreciated, let’s keep the sound of Brass Alive at the SGBB organisation.

The whole organisation are unbelievably proud of SGBB Principal Baritone Imogen Fewster, who recently attended The National Youth Brass Band Of Great Britain’s Easter course. After a seating audition with Euphonium Virtuoso Dr David Thornton, Imogen once again secured the solo Baritone seat. However, she didn’t stop there as she was later in the week awarded the Katie Ogden Euphonium/Baritone prize playing Vassily Brandt’s Concert Piece for trumpet. Imogen will now represent the Euph/Bari section in the concerto final held at the summer course in late July/August, where she will perform Martin Ellerby’s Baritone Concerto. 

The Easter course was held at Harrogate Ladies College and saw 70 of the best young brass and percussion players in the country attend. 
Well done Imogen.  

If any of our young players are interested in audition details for both the NYBBGB or the NYBB Children’s Band, please speak to Richard or Imogen.

The Shepherd Group Brass Academy end of term concert took place on Monday 4th April.

All three Monday night Academy groups performed at our band HQ in Huntington. The showcase opened with Brass Roots, under the baton of Audrey Brown, before the nearly 50 strong Academy Brass and MD Richard Wilton took the stage. The evening’s entertainment concluded with our highly talented Youth Band and Craig Brown, showcasing their recent Music For Youth set!

For many of our young players, the evening provided their very first public performance to over 100 enthusiastic parents, carers and families.Huge quantities of coffee, cake and juice were consumed afterwards and rounded off a fantastic end to a simply amazing, if not a challenging, term for the SGBBA

The Senior Band made the trip up to the Gala Theatre in Durham to take part in the Regional Championships on March 20th.

The test piece was the challenging Contest Music by Wilfred Heaton. This is a piece that looks deceptively simple when you first see it but which takes no prisoners and has ttraps for the unwary.

Frustratingly the band were placed 6th yet again, this is becoming a habit! However, the trip didn’t see us come away empty handed as the bass section were awarded the trophy for best basses on the day, something they have been very reluctant to mention since.

We are excited to welcome Alister Talbot as the new Chairman of the Shepherd Group Brass Band Organisation!

“I am delighted to have taken over the role as Chairman of the organisation. I have been involved with the band for 7 years as Solo Baritone until August of 2021.I have always been incredibly proud of everything our bands do both at a local and national level, and have already been leading the committee in planning our vision for the organisation moving forward……”