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Macclesfield Youth Brass Band is celebrating achieving a Gold Award at The National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain held at the Royal Northern College of Music inManchester. The band just missed out on a podium finish in the Intermediate section with a fantastic fourth place out of a huge field of 17 bands, with some travelling from Cornwall and Scotland to challenge for the title.

This is the first time the youth band has attained the coveted Gold standard and it is the highest placing for the band since it first participated in the championships in 2006.

Musical Director Louise Renshaw said;

“We came close two years ago with a Silver Award but to get our first Gold is absolutely fantastic. The band worked very hard to prepare for the competition. They gave it everything on the day and it paid off. I am so proud of them. Macclesfield is very fortunate to have some really great local bands and I hope that our youth band will contribute to ensuring that this tradition continues.”

The 40 strong youth band rehearses every Friday evening at Morton Hall in Macclesfield and as part of their preparation spent a training weekend with the members of the world famous Fairey Band with whom they are also planning a joint concert later in the year.

However, it wasn’t just the Youth Band on show at the Championships, both Macclesfield Junior Band and Macclesfield Training Band also did the town proud with their performances in the Junior band and beginners classes.  Louise continues:

“We had two coaches ferrying bands back and forth to the RNCM all day. It was brilliant to have 120 young musicians from MYBB taking to the stage in the most prestigious competition in the youth band calendar. It is a fantastic experience for the youngsters as the atmosphere at the championships is always excellent. I think they all had a great day.”

You can hear all three bands, plus the newly formed MYBB drum corps, in concert at Macclesfield Academy at 7pm on Saturday 19^th May 2012. Tickets £4 adults and £2 children, available on the door.

For more information about Macclesfield Youth Brass Band, how to join and where to see them play, visit www.mybb.org.uk

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Liz Hudson, one of the founder Trustees of Macclesfield Youth Brass Band, has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship by Macclesfield Castle Rotary Club.

“Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary International,” explained Rotarian Sue Bowen at the award presentation, “and we give Fellowships as a way of paying respect to local leaders who have demonstrated commitment to his ideal of community service. Liz’s commitment to the youth band and more recently to the Moss Rose Community Band which teaches adult beginners as well as children, is greatly valued by all those involved and by the wider community in Macclesfield.”

The award was a well kept surprise for Liz and was made at the weekly Rotary Club meeting on Monday evening at Macclesfield Golf Club.

Liz, who lives near Mottram St Andrew, was delighted to receive the award and said:

“When we started the youth band six years ago we really had no idea where it would take us, but it has been quite a journey.  We rarely look backwards as there is always so much to plan and do in the future but it is very nice to receive this award from Rotary who have always been so supportive of the band.”

Liz is a Chartered Accountant and is Treasurer for the youth band as well as Musical Director for the Training section which has around 40 members and rehearses every Friday evening at Fallibroome Academy. Liz also works for CVS Cheshire East in Macclesfield and has advised and helped many other local community groups with funding and all aspects of running their organisations.

For more information about Macclesfield Youth Brass Band visit www.mybb.org.uk

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The Macclesfield Youth Brass Band Slow Melody Contest took place on 26th February.  The results were as follows.

Age 7 or 8
1. Jess Hall
2. Hetty Hill

Age 9 or 10
1. = Ailsa Hay and Sam Wood
2. = Ella Banks, Kieran Shaughnessy and Roisin Middlemass
3. Matthew Renshaw

Age 11 or 12
1. Katie Murphy
2. Rebecca Oakes
3. Beth Whiteley

Age 15 or 16
1. Chris Holt

Under 12
1. Katie Murphy
2.= Ella Banks and Megan Whiteley
3. Kieran Shaughnessy

Novice 12 – 19
1. Aaron Storey

Age 12 -19
1. Chris Holt

Duet under 12
1. Megan Whiteley and Beth Whiteley
2. Ella Banks and Ailsa Hay
3 . Matthew Renshaw and Jack Hymns

Duet 12 to 19
1. Chris Holt and Callum Sykes

Percussion under 12
1. William Durrant
2. Niamh Middlemass

For a fun night out between Christmas and New Year come along to Broken Cross Club on Thursday 29th December for a Meatloaf tribute night featuring Stars in Their Eyes winner Terry Nash (he also does Blues Brothers and there is a disco).

Hot pot supper and bar till midnight. Come and join us at this band fundraiser.

For tickets call Ian Day on 07973 444767

Members of Macclesfield Youth and Junior bands will be playing carols at 7pm in Victoria Park on Friday 23rd December. The bandstand will be festooned with lights as locals celebrate the launch of the new Friends of Victoria Park group.

All of the bands will perform at our annual Christmas concert at St Michaels in the marketplace, Macclesfield.

Starts 7pm.

Tickets £4 and £2 children.

To reserve your tickets please contact us.