St Mary’s Music School have partnered with leading UK brass players to create a series of Lower Brass Days aimed at encouraging the take up of these instruments within schools.
A day of activities, masterclasses, ensemble work and concerts will be free to attend for all school age pupils and teachers and will be held on Saturday February 24th in Edinburgh and in Elgin the following day (venues to be confirmed). As well as industry leaders, teachers and performers, Buffet Crampon will supply instruments for ‘Taster’ sessions. Martin Thomson, Danielle Price, John Kenny, Jonathan Gawn, Emily White (BTS), Oren Marshall (Trinty Laban), Arlene Macfarlane, Amos Miller (RCM) and Mark Reynolds (RCS) are leading the performances and presentations.
To support this initiative the School will be running a Composition Competition for school age composers, with the winning ‘Fanfare’ performed on both days by leading performers.
The School is inviting young people (ages 10-18) across Scotland to enter their Composition Competition by composing a 3-minute Fanfare for lower brass. The winner and four runners up will be invited to have their works ‘workshopped’, and these five shortlisted entries will all receive feedback.
A resource pack including an application form and details of the Lower Brass Days themselves as well as a helpful video from Dopey Monkey can be accessed by following this link:
https://linktr.ee/smmslowerbrass
How to enter
Please complete the online entry form included in the resource pack.
Deadline: Score (in C) should reach us by Wednesday 20th December 2023 and, if shortlisted, parts should arrive by Friday 9th February 2024.
Please contact Music Department Manager, Kate Aitken on kaitken@smms.uk if you have any queries and we would be very grateful if you would pass on to anyone who might be interested in applying.
