Video trailer marks countdown to young people’s brass ‘grand finale’

The countdown has begun to an online ‘grand finale’ performance by more than 150 young Scottish brass musicians which replaces a live concert which had to be called off due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

Since the cancellation of the annual NYBBS (National Youth Brass Band of Scotland) summer residential course because of the current Coronavirus pandemic, work has been going on behind the scenes to create an exciting project to involve as many NYBBS students as possible to ensure that the traditional end-of-course concert will still go ahead, albeit in a virtual environment.

For the past two months, course organisers from SBBA have been collaborating with tutors and conductors to engage the students in the preparation of the online concert to bring to an end what would have been a week of learning at Strathallan School in Perthshire.

The 2020 NYBBS Virtual Performance is planned to take place on Saturday 8 August.  All three NYBBS bands – Children’s, Reserve and Senior – will be participating in this innovative venture to create an enjoyable programme of music interspersed with interviews and chat that will entertain and inform. You can see a short video trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBmv8-ivQyY&feature=youtu.be

The individual parts – all recorded in isolation by the youngsters – and the conversational snippets have been melded into a single show by professional TV and film editor Clyde Wallbanks, to be broadcast on the SBBA YouTube channel at 3pm on 8 August.

SBBA president Carrie Boax commented: “It was a devastating blow to all our students – as well as our course tutors, conductors and venue providers – when we reluctantly agreed to cancel the summer course but it was the only decision we could make at this difficult time.

“This was not the way we envisaged celebrating our 125th anniversary year through our young people. Live music making is always the best way to enjoy our up-and-coming brass players. However, going online was the only option we had to keep the concert a fixture in this year’s calendar.

“I am extremely proud of the way everyone has pulled together to ensure that the show will go on, even though it will be in a virtual format. The amount of work this has taken to make it a reality is staggering, but it demonstrates the spirit of determination that we will prevail.”