Rochdale Youth Wind Band

Under the direction of Cathie Brooks, the band goes from strength to strength. Every year, they achieve either a Gold or Silver award at the National Concert Band Festival and play at theNational Festival of Music for Youth, now held in Birmingham.

They play a variety of concerts in and around Rochdale, including prestigious charity  events and also travel further afield : they have an annual trip to Peine in Germany for the marching band festival, where they  take with them their vast repertoire of military-style marches and end up playing “Y.M.C.A” all the time (by  popular demand from the locals). They have also travelled extensively in Europe and receive a warm welcome wherever they go.

Rochdale Concert Band

 

Directed by Richard Charles, the Concert band acts as a feeder to the Youth Wind Band. Consequently, there is a lot of crossover of  players between the two bands.

The Concert Band tackles the same kind of wind band repertoire as the youth band, so the players can move up smoothly when the time comes.

Like all the bands, the Concert Band plays concerts and events outside the Music Service and enters the regional  Music for Youth festival every year.

 

Rochdale Junior Wind Band

 

Directed by Laura Clarke, the Junior Wind Band is some seventy strong and comprises all the instruments found in the other wind bands, but with a cut-off age of fourteen years.

The band regularly plays in Rochdale Music Festival and the National Concert Band Festival in which, under their previous musical director Stewart Warrington, they achieved a Gold Award.

The band plays a lot more of the “fun” pieces to keep the younger players interested. This certainly seems to work, as the band has a regular and loyal membership.  

 

Rochdale Community Wind Band

 

The band was formed in May 2000 by “Sir” Fred Bowker in response to the many parents and supporters of the Music Service who expressed a wish to be able to play in a “performance group”. Their premiere performance at the Rochdale Music Service “Family Proms” has generated a membership which is now up to thirty five on woodwind, brass and percussion instruments and they are now directed by Richard Charles.

Rehearsals are on every Wednesday at the Music Centre during term time from 7.00pm-8.00pm.

 

 

  

                    

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The Wind Bands