The Youth Section of Abergavenny Borough Band
Mini Concert 21 February 2012
The junior band will be performing a mini concert on 21 February at the Salvation Army Hall in Victoria Street, just around the corner from the band hall. The concert is mainly intended for the benefit of members' families but the doors will be open to anyone who would like to hear us. Entrance is free and the concert will feature both our beginner ensemble and the youth band.
Please will players arrive between 6.00 and 6.15 so that we can get started at 6.30 prompt. We aim to be finished no later than 8.30pm.
Posted by Colin Roberts, 17 February 2012
Crosskeys Success for Youth Band
The 2012 Crosskeys festival took place on Saturday 28 January and proved to be a rewarding day for the youth band. We were proud to put 30 youngsters on the stage and, with only minimal help from senior band members, to walk away with an award for the most improved Gwent-based band. Congratulations also to Natasha Michie who received a special award as the youngest player in the Independent/Community band section!
Under Lana's direction the band had prepared hard to present a programme of mainly American tunes and the performance passed off with hardly a hitch. Overall the band was placed sixth and, as such a young band competing against much more experienced outfits, we can all be pleased with our achievement. With our ranks so full the future is very promising.
Well done to everyone who took part and a big thank you to all the parents who delivered their children on time to the rehearsals and the festival. Let's keep up the good work!
Group and individual photos taken at the event should be available for purchase in a few weeks' time.
Posted by Colin Roberts, 29 January 2012
Greater Gwent Youth Brass Band Festival
28th January 2012 sees the return of this popular youth brass band festival at Colleg Gwent, Cross Keys. Our juniors are now preparing their programme for participation in the event with lots of excitement and enthusiasm. The junior band has taken part in this festival over many years and we are glad to see it return to the calendar after a year away due to the rebuilding of the College Campus.
Website editor
7th Jan 2012
New "SuperJuniors" ensemble formed
In an effort to bridge the gap between our youth band and senior band we have started a new ensemble. Comprising the more advanced players from the youth band, the SuperJuniors will meet on some Friday evenings under the direction of senior band conductor Craig Roberts. After an hour of intensive tuition the members will sit in with the senior band for the first hour of their rehearsal. Participation in SuperJuniors will be by invitation. We hope that the introduction of this ensemble will create opportunities for many more junior members to make the step up to the senior band. The inaugural session on
4 November was a great success!
Posted by Colin Roberts, 6 November 2011
News from Abergavenny Eisteddfod
Abergavenny Eisteddfod took place on Saturday 18 June at King Henry School and proved a happy hunting ground for members of the youth band. Trombonist Bethan Cooke took solo honours, earning a very well deserved second place in the instrumental class for 11 to 14 year olds. Then, switching to baritone, Bethan joined Emily Humphries and Evan and Anna Roberts for a performance with the quartet Only Brass R Loud. Contrary to their name the ensemble showed that they can play all the dynamics during their rendition of La Mer and the crowd's favourite, Wallace and Gromit's Grand Day Out. The quartet were awarded first place and invited to take part in the evening gala concert at the Borough Theatre as one of the four best acts in the youth eisteddfod. Their performance at the theatre was complimented by many members of the audience and the additional prize money for the concert appearance was much appreciated by all four members.
Evan Roberts was also successful in the jazz category, attaining second place and taking part in the gala concert.
Colin Roberts
25 June 2011
Solo Success for Gavenny Girls
Hearty congratulations are due to two of our young ladies for their excellent performances at the Greater Gwent Solos and Quartets.png "Emily & Bethen following the results")
contest held in Newport on 4 June. Emily Humphries gained second place in a hard-fought 15-and-under air varie section while Bethan Cooke also took second place in an equally tough slow melody contest for 12 and 13-year-olds. In what turned out to be a great day for Emily she also picked up third place in the slow melody class for 14 and 15-year-olds and the open air-varie class. What a great haul! 
Members of our youth band also excelled in the quartets and ensembles section, the 15-and-under ensemble Brass Monkeys walking away with first prize in their section. Our quartet Only Brass R Loud also put in solid performances to take second and third places in the 15-and-under and open categories respectively.
Well done to all Abergavenny participants who played in solos and in groups. The band was well represented throughout the competition and we are delighted that so many of our young players took part.
Website Editor4th June 2011
Change to beginner session times
As of 11 January 2011 there will no longer be a specific session for the new beginners who joined us in the autumn term. The beginners have progressed very well indeed and will be amalgamated into the junior band session on Tuesdays from 6.00 to 7.15 pm.
Colin Roberts
9th January 2011
Juniors welcome new members
The junior section has got the new school year off to a flying start by welcoming a host of new members to its ranks. A new class has been started at 5.30 on Tuesdays especially to accommodate the influx of beginners. This week's session was attended by 18 players and more are expected in the next couple of weeks. Thanks are due to Owen Farr, local peripatetic brass tutor with Gwent Music Support Service, for directing his new students to the band. As well as the beginner class, the junior section runs an intermediate session at 6pm on Tuesdays and the youth band at 6pm on Thursdays. New members are always welcome at all levels.
Colin Roberts
5th October 2010
Abergavenny Soroptomists support the Juniors
Following the resounding success of the Junior Bands concert at St Mary's Priory, Abergavenny on July 16th when the Soroptomists orgaised a Hog Roast in aid of the Band, some £700 was raised to support the Juniors.
This was a marvelous occasion organised by the Abergavenny Soroptomists and we all appreciate the support they have given the Juniors. Darryth Jenkins, Soroptomist President, started to organise a fundraiser for the band over a year ago when she met Band Chairman, Andrew Richards, at the Mayor of Abergavenny's dinner. The Junior Band is really grateful for the opportunity to give a concert for such an important local organisation and we thank all involved for what was a very enjoyable and successful event.
Well done all in the Junior Band for an excellent performance.
Andrew Richards
7th August 2010
Emily and Evan Hit the Front at National Band
Congratulations to Abergavenny's Emily Humphries and Evan Roberts who have both just completed the annual five-day course with the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain (NCBBGB). This year's course was held at Repton School near Burton Upon Trent and culminated in a concert on Saturday afternoon at Nottingham's Albert Hall. Both players were rewarded with places on the front row, having impressed cornet superstar and course tutor Richard Marshall during their seating place auditions. The band was directed by Black Dyke MD Nick Childs, assisted by a stellar team of tutors including Owen Farr, Brett Baker, Paul Lovatt Cooper and Abergavenny old-boy Matthew Routley.
Parents Welcome at Annual Dinner
Parents of all our junior members are invited to attend the band's annual dinner at the King of Prussia on Saturday 11 September at 7.00pm. Several have already signed up but the more the merrier! Please click here to see the menu and text your choices to Colin on 07920 495800 no later than Tuesday 3 August. The cost is £17 per head, payable in advance.
Junior Bands Standing Ovation
The Junior Bands busy concert schedule culminated last night (16th July) with a performance at the Priory Room, St Marys Church, Abergavenny. Performing ensemble pieces and several solo items the band provided Abergavenny Soroptomists with an excellent concert which received a well deserved standing ovation. The concert was the jewel in the crown of several engagements over the spring and summer starting with the Gwent Ensemble, Quartet and Solo Competition in Newport, a concert at Llanfihangel Crucorney, Pandy Show and School Fete.
Lana Tingay, Junior Band Tutor, said “The children are amazing. They have worked extremely hard preparing for these engagements and have performed to a very high standard. All of us in the Band are very proud of their achievements and look forward to doing more concerts in the future”.
Andrew Richards
17th July 2010
Gwent Music Support Service Visits the Junior Band
On 10th June 2010 we were pleased to welcome Gwent Music Support Service (GMSS) to the Band Room during a junior Band rehearsal. Click here for a report on the visit.
Click here for the May newsletter
What's on in 2010..engagements for the youth band
5th June: Gwent Youth Solo, Quartet & Ensemble Competition, YMCA, Newport
27th June: Pandy Show
3rd July: Concert, llanfihangel Crucorney Church
16th July: Concert, St Mary's Priory. Abergavenny Soroptomists Hog Roast in aid of the Junior Band.
How to look after your brass instrument
It is important that you look after your instrument properly. Here is an information sheet to help you with this (click here)