Wrekin Musicians Win 10th Top Title in Seven Years
Wrekin musicians have scooped their 10th top title in seven years at a national festival celebrating the UK’s top wind and big bands.
The Wrekin College Jazz Band clinched its fifth platinum award at the National Concert Band Festival in Manchester, in seven years, while the school’s Concert Band took its fifth consecutive platinum in a clean sweep from five years taking part.
Taking to the stage at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music the school also picked up two additional awards this year given at the discretion of the judges.
The Concert Band was praised for having the most innovative programme while Sixth Form percussionist Beau scooped the outstanding soloist award.
Director of Music Simon Platford MBE said he was extremely proud of both bands with more than 40 young people aged from 11 to 18 years old taking part.
The adjudicators commented on how they always looked forward to seeing Wrekin College perform, welcoming them back to this latest festival showcase.
Introducing the Jazz Band the compere also commented on how it had grown since the first time it had appeared at the festival almost doubling in size during that time.
The Concert Band’s award-winning programme included The Spirit of the Falcon by Richard L Saucedo featuring Beau’s intricate and fast-paced xylophone solo together with Belonging by Tom Davoren and the exciting and virtuosic Arabian Dances by Brian Balmages.
Mr Platford said the quartet of prizes were a result of months of hard work, including a series of holiday rehearsals where pupils had given up their own time over Easter to perfect their ambitious programmes. These included a brilliant workshop with Ian Porthouse from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
“If we qualify from the regional festivals, which we never take for granted, the national finals have become a huge highlight in the Wrekin calendar that is brilliantly supported. We are so grateful to the army of supporters who travel with us to these events,” added Mr Platford.
“It was lovely to hear the compere and adjudicators acknowledge and recognise that with any school band there will be significant changes in players over the seven years we have participated.
“Our longevity is testament to a school which greatly values all elements of the co curricular including music and then encourages all areas to be ambitious for what our pupils can achieve. But it also reflects an ethos which encourages even the youngest pupils to get involved and the older pupils to take on a leadership role so that the legacy does live on and those high standards are maintained.
“There is also a strong collaborative relationship with Wrekin Prep to support pupils as they choose a variety of instruments to learn and work towards being part of an ensemble so that we not only have a rich channel of musicians but also valuable opportunities for them to perform and impress on a national stage.”
Mr Platford said the bands would be performing again this term at the summer concert with the potential to reprise some of their award-winning programmes.