Established in 1952 by Denis Wright, the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) has produced some of the finest brass playing talent: Philip Cobb, James Fountain, Peter Moore, and Becky Smith to name a few. Even Maurice Murphy, trumpet player for the original Star Wars soundtrack, was principal cornet on the inaugural course. To mark the band's 70th anniversary, I met CEO Mark Bromley and director of artistic planning Dr Robert Childs to reflect on the band's long running success.
‘Obviously, to keep an institution going for 70 years is a huge achievement,’ says Bromley. ‘I think if we look back over the history of the band and some of the people who have come through it, that's testament in itself. We've got alumni who come from all walks of life, including banking, medicine, and commerce. People seem to progress very well after they've been through, and it is not just about music; it's about teaching people teamwork and leadership and things like that.’
For Childs, the band has held a significance since his early teens. ‘I've got a bit of a biased opinion on the NYBBGB,’ he says, ‘because I was a member when I was 14, then I became one of the first tutors when I was about 20. I got invited back to be a soloist, I was chairman of the band for a long time, and now I'm the artistic director. NYBBGB has been in my life forever – I met my wife in the National Youth Brass Band, and we've been married for almost 50 years. This institution is very special to me.’ On its success, he adds: ‘Players get to meet each other from the far corners of Britain, and they stay friends for the rest of their lives. They find themselves in top orchestras or in top bands, but they always remember the fact that they started in the NYBBGB.’
© COURTESY NYBBGB
The first NYBBGB course in 1952 with Dr Denis Wright
‘Still progress to be made’
NYBBGB has always tried to offer musical opportunities to as many young people as possible. Bromley says: ‘I think it's a fact that brass banding originated in working class communities around industry. The members of the band still tend to come from the areas where those communities were in the past. We see many people coming from the northwest, southwest, and around Wales. It does tend to follow where the mines and industry have been.’ Despite this, the demographic of the band has changed as society has changed, he says. ‘Around 70 per cent of our members come from the state school system and around 15–20 per cent come from lower income households. What that says to me is that we are giving young people opportunity that they might not get in the orchestral sector, for example.’
Childs also notes the difference in membership over time: ‘In the early ‘70s, when I was in it, there weren't many female players in the band, and that wasn't because the band didn't welcome them. Generally speaking, in the brass band movement there weren't many girls because in those times it was coal mines, steel works, and woollen mills bands, and you could only choose from the pool of players you had. But these days, after 20 or 30 years of great music services and education, we're about 50/50 in terms of girls and boys.’
As with many areas of youth music, there is still progress to be made in the diversity of NYBBGB. However, there is confidence that things on the right path. As Bromley says: ‘We've still got a long way to go on that. I've talked to the Arts Council, trustees and musicians such as Clarence Adoo and Duncan Beckley about it. They're pretty much of the view that this is something that will come, and you can't force it. All I'll say is that the doors are open.’
He continues: ‘This year we've been running our ambassador series where we take an ensemble around schools to inspire young people who either are or are not playing instruments. We went to 11 schools, primary and secondary, and made contact with over 2,000 young people. In those groups there's a significant proportion of children from minority ethnic backgrounds, so one would hope that by doing things like that we can start to inspire them. It won't be tomorrow but maybe within the next decade it will happen.’
© JOY NEWBOLD
Childs adds: ‘We can only choose from who is out there at the moment. It is something that we're working on. Certainly, in the early days, nearly all the people who ran the band, the people who conducted the band, and the composers we played were all white middle-aged men. We're really striving now to feature underrepresented composers and conductors.’
Commissioning new works
While there have been inevitable changes over the organisation's history, Childs stresses that some things have always remained consistent, including the quality of the music. ‘There really isn't much difference. Everybody says, “When I was in the band, it was better”, but when I look back, what the young musicians are doing today is equally as good as what we did in the ‘70s. If I was really honest, it's probably better.’
Not only has NYBBGB produced some of the top brass musicians, it's also the most prolific commissioner of new brass band repertoire. Childs says: ‘We're lucky that we are supported by Arts Council England. That gives us the opportunity to use some money to commission composers. If you think of famous bands like the Black Dyke Band or the Cory Band, they don't commission anything like the music that we do. We have commissioned pieces by Errollyn Warren in the past, we are currently working with Sir Karl Jenkins on a substantial work for performance in 2024, and we've already commissioned Dorothy Gates for 2023.
‘This year, to celebrate our 70th anniversary, we commissioned the Scottish composer Peter Graham to write a piece all about the history of NYBBGB called Hyperlink. The National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain have chosen to use the commission as their test piece. Because it's been chosen in the UK, then it'll probably get picked up by the national championships in Belgium, Poland, Germany, and all over the place.’
Bromley says that these commissions are part of NYBBGB's appeal. ‘We have to support composers because we want good music in the brass band world. Also, for our young people there's no point in coming to one of our residential courses and seeing half a dozen pieces that they've already played in the community bands. We want something fresh for them. The two sides to this are giving something to young people to get their teeth into and supporting the composers themselves.’
Atmosphere of acceptance
Many alumni have seen a lasting impact from the band on their lives. Becky Smith, principal trombone for the English National Opera, was a member between 1992 and 1998. ‘To be chosen from an audition to play with the NYBB is such an honour for anyone, and the sense of pride never fades. It is an unforgettable experience.’ Reflecting on the anniversary, she says, ‘It has been great to see the band evolve over the years and celebrate the milestones it has reached. It's such a privilege to be part of its history.’
The current generation of young musicians are also recognising the benefits of the organisation. Phoebe, principal flugel horn, says: ‘I love how, aside from creating amazing music, you feel as though you're creating lifelong friends on every course. I think the band is important because the atmosphere of being surrounded by so many like-minded young musicians is one of real acceptance.’
Childs recalls a story that he feels encapsulates the effect of NYBBGB. ‘After a concert at Symphony Hall, this guy came up to me and said that he had a programme with him from 1952 when he played in the band aged 13. I introduced him to the band, and he gave the most inspirational speech: “I'm some years old now and it's difficult for you children to see me as yourselves. I sat in the same chair as you and it had a massive effect on me. I didn't think I was a wonderful musician, but it showed me that I was one of the best in Britain. It gave me the confidence to apply to a music college. I didn't become a professional musician because I went into education, but I became the head of music for Cambridgeshire. All of this came from the confidence I got when I was 13 in this band”.’
For seven decades, NYBBGB has provided a platform for young brass players to experience the highest level of brass band playing. It is an institution at the top of the brass banding pyramid and because of it, countless young people have thrived in the musical world and beyond.
