A brand new brass band will help kick off a ten day music festival in the city.
The Festival of Music is run by Milton Keynes Council’s Music MKYouth Brass, a new brass band for young people in the Milton Keynes area, will be performing at the Chrysalis Theatre in Willen on March 17.
The band’s aim is to provide highquality tuition and experiences for brass players through weekly rehearsals, courses, competitions and visiting conductors and soloists.
Membership is open to any student under the age of 19.
They will be joined at the concert by seasoned musicians from Stantonbury Brass who will perform‘ Kingdom of Dragons’.
The concert will feature a special tribute to long serving member of Stantonbury Brass, Simon Palmer, who died just over a year ago at the age of 31.
Some of Simon's favourite pieces will be played and any past players of Stantonbury Brass are welcome to join in those performing tributes.
Simon was an ecologist and avid bird watcher and profits from the concert will be donated to the RSPB. Details and tickets (£5 and concessions £3), can be obtained by calling the Music Service office on 0845 200 0096 or on the door (subject to availability).
Another highlight of the festival will see secondary school bands rock The Pitz in Woughton as part of the Rock School Riot.
Bands will face each other in a battle of the bands style competition on March 26 at 7pm.
The musical extravaganza continues with a number of ensembles performing across the city including Strings and Things on 23 March at Shenley Brook End School Theatre; Pipes and Drums on 24 March, also at Shenley Brook End; and baroque groups, wind ensembles and string groups will perform at the Guildhall on 25 March. The festival will culminate at the City Church on March 27 when the Youth Orchestra and intermediate orchestra will be joined by a Japanese delegation of music students who are visiting Milton Keynes.
Head of the Music Service, David Rose said: “The MK Festival of Music is going to be a really exciting series of events in Milton Keynes.
It’s all part of the government’s ‘Tune In’ initiative to bring together and showcase the wide range of music-related experiences available to children and young people across England. In Milton Keynes we have a wealth of talent and this is a brilliant opportunity for our students to show off what they can do to a wide audience! I encourage everyone to come along."
■ For a full list of events log onto www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/ music_service or call 0845 200 0096.