Shropshire Music Service

The Shropshire Youth Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Andy Richards, boasts some of the finest young percussionists in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. Previous members have included Adrian Spillett (Winner BBC Young Musician of The Year 1998) and Toby Kearney (Finalist BBC Young Musician Of The Year 2006). SYPE performs an eclectic and exciting repertoire of music written and arranged especially for percussion ensembles. The instrumentation includes marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, orchestral chimes, bass drum, drum kit, timpani, congas, bongos, Afro-Cuban and Latin hand-held percussion instruments.

Players are required to have advanced experience on drum kit, tuned and unpitched percussion instruments. The minimum requirement is grade 6 or similar on their first study instrument and grade 5 on second study instrument (one of which must be a tuned percussion instrument).

Shropshire Training Youth Percussion Ensemble conducted by Jerome Auxant, provides an introduction to the percussion ensemble environment. Players are encouraged to have some tuned and unpiched percussion experienced to a minimum grade 3 standard.

SYPE rehearse on alternate Monday evenings 7-9pm STYPE rehearse on the same evening 6-7pm (both following the School of Music weekends as detailed in The Music Service Calendar).

If you are interested in joining Shropshire Youth Percussion Ensemble or Shropshire Training Youth Percussion Ensembleplease contact Andy Richards at The Music Service telephone 01743 874145 mobile 07790 775249 home 01952 510334

There was an impressive array of musical talent on display when the combined forces of the Shropshire Youth Brass Band, the Shropshire Training Youth Brass Ensemble and 70 beginner brass players performed the grand finale to this year’s Brass Extravaganza. Castaway Cove was an thrilling conclusion to an inspirational evening of brass music performed by Shropshire and Telford players of all abilities in front of a ‘full house’.

The beginner brass very ably performed two ‘world premieres’ of specially composed suites for brass by Glenn Pollard as well as versions of well known tunes from their weekly lesson repertoire.

The Training Youth Brass Ensemble demonstrated just how far the group has progressed since it was formed just 3 years ago and played a variety of solo and ensemble music under the direction of Wendy Jones and Andrienna Straw.

The Shropshire Youth Brass Band were having a final run through of the demanding programme they were to play at the National Festival of Music for Youth at Symphony Hall, Birmingham the following day. No-one could fail to have been impressed by the power, precision and musicality of their performance conducted by Dave Heywood.

The performers were rightly given a standing ovation at the end of the concert by an enthusiastic and appreciative audience.

Next year’s event has already been booked and we all look forward to a similarly splendid evening of music on 11^th July 2007.

11 - 15 December

Entries to be received by 12 noon, 11 October 2006.

Brass: 28 November 2006
Percussion: 27,28,29,30 November - 1 December 2006
Woodwind: No date but usually with brass exams

Entries to be received by 12 noon, 20 September 2006