NYBBGB Launches ‘Brass Building Blocks’
The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) has launched a free on-line educational programme in partnership with the Royal Marines Band Service.
The project, entitled ‘Brass Building Blocks’ is an initiative to inspire and support all young musicians playing a brass instrument. There is a structure that takes a player from the earliest stages of playing through to professional standard. With the kind support of tutors such as Tom Hutchinson, Owen Farr and David Childs as well as the band’s partners, the Royal Marines Band Service, a series of videos have been produced that are relevant to players in, or aspiring to be in, one of the National Youth Brass Bands of Great Britain (the intermediate to elite stages). From Grade 4 to 8+, this series of videos will help young musicians develop the techniques needed to become a better player. The programme focuses on the six pillars of brass playing: Breathing, Lip strength, Sound, Rhythm, Technique and Musicality, as well as what you need to aspire to at each level of your development.
Dr Robert Childs, NYBBGB Director of Artistic Planning stated that he was hopeful that the free resources will broaden access to more young people wishing to progress with their playing. "Brass Building Blocks provides help and advice in fundamental areas that lead to progression on several different levels. Hopefully this free resource will assist and support teaching and learning a brass instrument, something which we hope will benefit as many youngsters as possible with their playing ambitions. I would like to sincerely thank all those that have given their time and expertise to help create this fantastic resource."
Commenting on the initiative, Mark Bromley, NYBBGB CEO stated, "The National Youth Band of Great Britain believes all children and young people should have access to the best resources on-line and in person. With this partnership with the Royal Marines Band Service, we hope to increase this access, helping young players to better understand the skills needed to improve. We offer free auditions to any child or young person who is interested in joining the NYBBGB. We hope that this initiative, together with others such as Brass Band England's Brass Foundation programme, will see that number steadily increasing year by year as well as encouraging an overall uplift in young people's interest in playing brass instruments."
The Brass Building Blocks programme is available free of charge at: www.nybbgb.org.uk/education
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