‘If we don’t start teaching young players now, eventually brass bands will die out’

A new youth brass band is being launched in Ossett to preserve Yorkshire’s proud banding heritage.
All young people are encouraged to join the orchestra.All young people are encouraged to join the orchestra.
All young people are encouraged to join the orchestra.

Fanfare Music School is launching a new brass orchestra for young people.

The music school is holding its first open day for the orchestra on Saturday September 10 at 10.30am.

The band will then meet every Saturday morning for an hour.

The founder of the music school, Jenna Fan, says it is a "shame" that youth projects were cut during the pandemic.The founder of the music school, Jenna Fan, says it is a "shame" that youth projects were cut during the pandemic.
The founder of the music school, Jenna Fan, says it is a "shame" that youth projects were cut during the pandemic.
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Membership will cost £7 a month which includes use of the instruments.

Jenna Fan, the director of Fanfare Music School, says that many brass bands “had to reduce their youth-based activities” due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said that it means that kids are not only missing out on playing but that there will be not enough juniors to transition to the senior bands.

She wants to encourage kids to pick up a french horn or a trumpet before it is “too late” and brass bands are gone for good in Yorkshire.

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Jenna said: “Post Covid-19, a lot of brass bands have stopped providing their youth programmes, which is a great shame.

“Lots of players come through those programmes and go off to the senior band and rise up through the ranks.

“If we don’t have the youth provision in the community, then in 20 years time we won’t have any brass bands.

“It is such a part of our culture, with the mining history in this region. We’ve got to do everything we can to keep it active.

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“The brass band is open to all children. They don’t need to have done any music before. We can lend instruments to those who need it.”

The band will have “any instrument found in a brass band from cornets to trombones to tubas”, Jenna said.

The orchestra will play traditional brass band music as well as pop arrangements.

Brass band player and conductor Elliot Pass, who trained at the Royal Northern College of Music and Leeds conservatoire, will lead the group.

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The band is open to all children with no experience necessary, although experienced players are also welcome.

The band will learn through playing and the children will receive expert tuition at the weekly sessions in Ossett.

For more information or to register your interest, please contact Jenna Fan via email at [email protected] or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/fanfaremusic.co.uk/.