A Verwood brass band made up entirely of young players has good reason to blow its own trumpet.
Verwood Concert Brass not only won a host of awards, but was also crowned best overall band in the Wessex Brass Band Association Youth and Training Band contest held at Trafalgar School in Downton, Wiltshire on 30 January.
Made up of 21 players and under the baton of Mike Dunnings, the Verwood Youth Band won the cup for the best youth band as well as for the best overall band across both the youth and training band sections. It also won a further cup for playing the best hymn tune.
The Verwood Youth Ensemble, which consisted of nine players conducted by Lloyd Bartlett, was awarded 2nd place in its section, with Jack Musslewhite winning a bronze certificate for his percussion playing and Oliver Bartlett, age 6, getting the cup for being the youngest player on the day.
Trophies were presented by contest adjudicator, Captain Sam Hairsine of the Royal Marines Band Service.
Chairman of Verwood Concert Brass, Helen Dunnings said “It was a great day seeing and hearing all of the young players from all of the competing bands perform some wonderful music on the contest stage. I, and all involved with Verwood Concert Brass, were of course particularly proud of what our younger players achieved and the awards they won and it is so pleasing that as an organisation we can do our bit to nurture another generation of brass band players.”
