Two New Bands at Tullis
New Youth Band
The Tullis Russell Mills Band are happy to announce that the project to start a youth band has finally got underway, with funding from Awards for All Scotland, The Tullis Russell Group and the Tullis Russell Mills Senior Band the new Youth band has had had it's first 3 rehearsals with 25 P5 and P6 pupils from the Glenrothes area enjoying learning to play a brass instrument. Youth coordinator Steven Craig said "there have been a few set backs along the way to getting this new youth band project started but all at Tullis are very pleased with the way things are now going" it is hoped that the youth band will take part in its first public performance in August this year which will give the pupils and tutors a real goal to aim for. It is also hoped that the new Tullis Russell Youth Band will be in a position to take part in the Scottish Youth Championships in Perth in November. The management team at Tullis have been assisted by Alan Edmonds, Development Officer at the Scottish Brass Band Association and also Graeme Wilson of Fife Council
Tullis Russell Intermediate Band (The TRIM Band)
Running in parallel to the new youth project Tullis Russell Band have also started a new intermediate band, this band is made up of players who perhaps have played at school and because there were not involved with any other organisation when they left school had to give up playing but now would like to get back into music again, as well as people who never got the opportunity at school to learn and have always had a wish to play a musical instrument. The TRIM Band now has 23+ members who are rehearsing once a week and thoroughly enjoying their music making. The new TRIM band will get the opportunity to perform at two concerts which are already booked for later in the year. The TRIM Band conductor said "this really is a great group to work with, and although a very mixed age group they all work very hard as a team and are very keen to learn" One of the main issues the new TRIM Band now faces is having enough instruments as only this week another two players have come forward looking to join the band.
With the addition the these two new bands the numbers at Tullis Russell have gone from a senior band with a total of 30 including committee and players to a total group size now in excess of 80 which is a bit of a headache for the management team at Tullis but one which they are sure many bands in the country would welcome.
