FROM A ONE-OFF IN A WORKS CANTEEN TO A WORLD LEADER AT SAGE GATESHEAD

(Editor) Not jazz but, as so many jazz musicians came through the ranks of the local colliery band, the TA band, and, today, the school band, the Brass Band movement is still very much alive even though those collieries aren't and, as such, surely of interest to many of the readers and players of today.) 

(Press release)

For over 150 years brass bands have been an essential and binding element in the social history of the North East and have been associated with a number of industries including coal, textiles, motor cars and of course football. Whilst this association is less fashionable today, in the past, employers have considered that playing in a brass band has given employees a sense of enjoyment, a bond with their employer and has promoted a happy workforce.

The Brass in Concert Championship was originally conceived as a one-off event to mark HM The Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 and the opening of a new factory in Darlington, with the contest taking part in the works canteen of Patons and Baldwins, otherwise known as the Beehive Ballroom. Thirty-nine years later it is widely recognised as the leading brass band entertainment contest in the world attracting the very best bands from all corners of the United Kingdom. In recent times it has also seen competitors from Austria, The Netherlands and Norway and some as far afield as Florida, Kansas and Ohio. For the last 12 years, the event has been presented in the iconic surroundings of Sage Gateshead drawing audiences from not only the local area and the UK but from Europe, Japan and Australia.

The idea of an entertainment championship was initiated by the late Cyril Beere and Peter Hartley of Barnard Castle Band, who together with Dr. Roy Newsome as Music Advisor, had the vision to create an event which could play a part in the community life of the North East and which would offer the people of the area an opportunity to see and hear the very best exponents of the brass band world. In 2016 the event has grown to become a 2-day festival including themed concerts, taster sessions and workshops for young people, a gala concert and a contest for 12 top bands.

The 40^th Brass in Concert weekend takes place on Saturday 19^th and Sunday 20^th November. To book please visit sagegateshead.com or Sage Gateshead Ticket Office either in person (open from 12noon) or by calling 0191 443 4661. Tickets for the taster sessions and workshops can be booked directly with Brass in Concert at http://www.brassinconcert.com/event/workshops-and-tasters/

Programme of Events:

SATURDAY 19^TH NOVEMBER

9am -2.15pm, Brass Workshops      

Workshops and a concert by young people on Sage Gateshead’s Concourse led by Philip Harper and principal players from Cory Band, the World number 1. Concourse performance from 1.30pm-2.15pm.

11am - 1.15pm, Taster Sessions on the Concourse 

An opportunity to blow an instrument ranging in size from Soprano Cornet to a Bb Bass.

11am-12noon, Dublin Silver Band from USA – Mini

The 2015 USA entertainment champions provide the music in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.

2.30pm- 3.15pm, Youth Brass in Concert       

Youth Brass 2000 take centre stage on the Concourse presenting a colourful performance of their winning programme at the 2016 Youth Entertainment Championship.

3.45pm-4.45pm, Brass Band Schoonhoven Coffee and Cake Concert        

The recently crowned Netherlands Champions, Brass Band Schoonhoven from the Silver City entertain with a Coffee and Cake Concert in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.

5pm-6pm, Stavanger
The 2015 Norwegian entertainment and presentation champions entertain the early evening audience on the Concourse.

7pm-9.15pm, World of Brass in Concert with Black Dyke Band       

The legendary Black Dyke Band under their Principal Conductor and Director, Professor Nicholas Childs with special guest, James Morrison, multi instrumentalist and jazz great are the welcome visitors to Sage One.  

£10.75-£25.80

SUNDAY 20^TH NOVEMBER

9am-6.30pm, The 40^th Brass in Concert Championship

Playing order:

Dublin Silver

Brighouse and Rastrick

Flowers 

Grimethorpe Colliery

Woodfalls

Reg Vardy

Brass Band Schoonhoven

Virtuosi GUS

Stavanger

Hammonds Saltaire

Carlton Main Frickley Colliery

Cory

Each band will play a 23 minute programme of music of their own choice and will be assessed on quality of performance, programme content and entertainment and presentation. A separate adjudicator will judge soloists. A feast of new music ranging from the classics to the pops and likely to feature as many as 25 new compositions/arrangements.

£12.90-£32.25