A week of learning, music making and merriment awaits NYBBS pupils

Just over 140 young instrumentalists will be descending on the small village of Forgandenny in Perthshire on Sunday to attend this year’s National Youth Brass Band of Scotland residential summer course at the Strathallan School.

The week-long NYBBS 2026 is for brass and percussion players from across Scotland, aged from nine to 22, split into three bands – Children’s, Reserve and Senior – for whom the emphasis will be on having fun as well as enjoying the full learning experience.

Sectional practice sessions, master classes and full band rehearsals will provide the opportunity for some serious music making for the students while ‘extra curricular’ events will bring a more lively element to the course.

There will be 143 students this year: 42 in the Children’s band, 54 in the Reserve band and 47 in the Senior band. Nineteen tutors will be providing the musical input on the course, supported by 15 pastoral staff who will ensure the students’ needs are catered for away from the rehearsal rooms.

This year the Senior band will be in the capable hands of two experienced tutors, Ryan Richards and Sion Rhys Jones, as musical director Ian Porthouse will be away to New Zealand for the fist time in 30 years after a personal invitation to him and his family.

The stand-in conductors, following discussion with Ian, will continue the musical direction the NYBBS team is working towards for this year.

Ryan and Sion with the other musical directors –Alan Fernie (Children’s) and John Boax (Reserve) – will be preparing a music repertoire to showcase the talents of their young players and the programmes will be performed at two concerts at the Perth Theatre on Saturday 1 August.

The Children’s band concert will be at 2.30pm and attendance can be reserved via Ticketsource.

Later that day, at 6pm, the Reserve and Senior bands will be taking to the stage. Those wishing to attend this concert can book via Ticketsource.