Ian Porthouse to join NYBBS conducting team
Saturday 24 November 2018The Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) has announced that Ian Porthouse, Musical Director (MD) at Tredegar Band, is to join the conducting team at the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland's (NYBBS) Easter Course in 2019.
Ian Porthouse to join NYBBS conducting team
Taking over from long-standing NYBBS MD Russell Gray, Ian Porthouse will join regular conductors John Boax, Alan Fernie and Musical Director Emeritus Richard Evans at the course at Strathallan School in Perthshire from 11 to 14 April which sees the conducting team working with the joint senior and reserve bands.
With invaluable funding from Creative Scotland's Youth Music Initiative (YMI), the combined band will premiere a commissioned work by Tom Davoren featuring former NYBBS player Rachel Neil, virtuoso horn soloist from the Fairey Band.
Rachel Neil will perform this weekend at SFoB
It has also been announced that another former NYBBS horn soloist, Cory's Ailsa Russell, is set to join the NYBBS tutorial staff at next year's summer course. This announcement comes ahead of the culmination of the 2018 Scottish Festival of Brass which, this year, includes various workshops and master classes from Rachel Neil and Black Dyke baritone star Katrina Marzella, shining a light on the talents produced in Scotland over the last few years who have gone on to reach the highest level of brass banding.
Speaking of the new appointment, SBBA President Carrie Boax commented: "‘We are in store for very exciting times as we welcome Ian to the team and we look forward with anticipation to the opportunities that lie ahead. We are indebted to Russell Gray who has dedicated 38 years of service to the NYBBS family - he will always have a special place in the NYBBS journey."
Anyone interested in signing up for the Easter Course is encouraged to do so quickly, with Carrie adding: "Spaces are very limited so please get your entries in as soon as possible. It's the perfect Christmas present for any budding young brass player or percussionist!"
