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Fodens accent on youth

On Saturday 13^th October, members of the Fodens Richardson Band took part in another youth workshop, this time with the Stoke Youth Brass Band.  The band is run by the Stoke music service and rehearses both a training band and a youth band weekly.

Saturday saw the culmination of both bands in a day of tutoring given by 6n members of the Fodens Band.  Mark Wilkinson, Cai Isfyn, Natsumi Inaber, John Barber, Gareth Westwood and Les Neish were all on hand to offer help, support and guidance throughout the day.

The morning kicked off at 10:30 am with a warm up session led by John Barber and Gareth Westwood.  The focus of this session was breathing activities and muscular exercises designed to prepare the students for a hard days blowing!

Following this the band were taken off into sectionals in which the Fodens team coached the young players through music they would be playing in the afternoon concert.

5 hours later at 3:30 the afternoon concert began with the youth band performing music that had been polished during the days sectionals.  Half way through, the Fodens team delighted an audience of parents and staff with a short concert that included solos from Les Neish, John Barber and Mark Wilkinson.

Youth Policy co-ordinator, Mark Wilkinson:

‘The Fodens Richardson Band continue to be committed to supporting youth organisations throughout the country and its members work tirelessly in raising standards of good brass playing amongst these youngsters.  These young people are the movements future and we at Fodens realise that with our Youth Initiative.’

Meanwhile back at the band room, we are very pleased to announce that we have strengthened our ranks further ahead of the National Finals.  Fumika Kimura joins the band on 2^nd cornet having previously played with Stalybridge, Moston and Beswick, Middleton, and Sellers International Band.  Fumika is a music student at the University at Salford and is studying the BA(Hons) course.

Fumika is a fantastic player who has strengthened our back row further and we are delighted to welcome her to the band.  Fumika’s first contest engagement will be at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain next Saturday where the band will be performing Philip Sparks ‘Music For Battle Creek’.