WORLD FAMOUS BRASS IN CONCERT FESTIVAL 2020 ON SALE AT SAGE GATESHEAD
This year’s Brass in Concert Championship, held at Sage Gateshead, has gone on sale, and fans are already securing their seats ahead of the much-anticipated Festival, which takes place in November.
Janet Thompson from Chester-le-Street was first in the queue at Sage Gateshead’s box office. She has been attending the championship, which is thought to be the world’s leading brass band entertainment contest, since its days at Spennymoor Leisure Centre. It moved to Sage Gateshead in 2005, and Janet hasn’t missed one!
She said: “I get my seats as soon as the tickets go on sale. The playing is so good and the sound in the hall is fantastic.”
The Brass in Concert Championship was originally conceived in 1977 as a one-off occasion to mark Her Majesty the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and the opening of a new factory in Darlington. The venue was the Paton’s and Baldwin’s works canteen, which doubled up as the Beehive Ballroom outside working hours, hosting events ranging from balls to concerts. Following the success of the contest, with the bands and audience asking for more, it was decided that Brass in Concert would continue. It developed into a two-day festival and is now not only a highlight of the North East music calendar but attracts interest from all parts of the UK as well as Europe, Japan and the United States.
In 2018, the event was filmed for Sky Arts, with the resulting programme – The Battle of the Brass Bands – following three bands from their early rehearsals to their performances on stage.
This year the Festival takes place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November. It opens with a performance by young players from Bedlington and Ashington. This is the culmination of a music education programme developed by Brass in Concert and Music Partnership North where young people are given the opportunity to take part in brass workshops and mini bands before making their debut at Sage Gateshead.
The project has grown from 25 primary schoolchildren in 2016 to over 190 primary, middle and secondary pupils in 2019, with several young people progressing to training and community bands in the area.
Janet, now aged 70, said when she joined her first brass band, Esh Colliery Band, at the age of 13 she was the only girl.
She added: “It’s great to see so many more girls and younger people playing in brass bands now. Brass in Concert goes into schools, which must really help. It’s so sad to see more and more music being cut from education.”
As well as the main Brass in Concert Championship the newly introduced Youth Brass in Concert Championship will also feature. Now in it’s third year, the competition will take place in Sage One at midday on the Saturday and star eight of the best youth bands in the country, including local favourite Houghton Area Youth Band.
In the evening there will an international showcase concert on the concourse by Norwegian visitors, Krohnengen Band, and a Gala Concert in Sage One featuring Tredegar and Foden’s bands, with guest soloist Philip Cobb (principal trumpet, London Symphony Orchestra) in a programme of classic brass music. Much-loved broadcaster and musician Frank Renton will compére. This will be his 27th Brass in Concert in this role.
The main Championship event will take place on the Sunday from 9.30am.
Eleven bands will be competing, five of which are in the top 10 in the world, led by defending champions Cory Band from South Wales (ranked number one in the world for the past 13 years). The band is currently European, British Open and National Champions. Local interest will be from NASUWT Riverside band from Chester-le-Street, which made its debut at the event in 2019. Audience members get to vote for a special prize using their smartphones.
Janet, who is a Silver Patron of Brass in Concert, said: “One of my highlights was hearing Cory perform The Jungle Book and I can’t wait to see what they’re going to do this year.
“I would urge anyone who hasn’t been to Brass in Concert before to give it a go. The sound of a brass band performing in Sage Gateshead’s wonderful halls is really something special. It makes me so happy.”
Brass in Concert Chairman, David Bennett, who has been involved with the event since its inception, said: “We are extremely proud of this North East success story, which now sees over 500 young musicians and over 300 of their adult colleagues providing the very best entertaining music that the brass world has to offer.
“Tickets are now on sale for the event and we recommend that those wishing to attend book soon as the best seats normally sell out very quickly. This year, for the first time, we are also selling full weekend tickets, which effectively means that entry to the Youth Brass in Concert Championship is free to those attending the other major events. We look forward to welcoming you in November.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Pictured at Sage Gateshead Box Office is Janet Thompson and Hugh Stephenson, Director and Trustee of Brass in Concert Festivals
For more information, images, interviews or review tickets, please contact:
Emily Taylor, Pr & Communications Manager, Sage Gateshead
- 0191 443 4617 M. 07793 762 879
- emily.taylor@sagegateshead.com
Tickets for Youth Brass in Concert on Saturday 14 November (12pm):
online at www.sagegateshead.com or by calling Sage Gateshead’s Box Office on 0191 443 4661.
Prices: £12 & £6 (concessions).
Tickets for World of Brass Gala Concert on Saturday 14 November (7.30 pm):
online at www.sagegateshead.com or by calling Sage Gateshead’s Box Office on 0191 443 4661.
Prices: £ 27, £18 and £10.
Tickets for Brass in Concert Championship on Sunday 15 November (9.30am):
online at www.sagegateshead.com or by calling Sage Gateshead’s Box Office on 0191 443 4661.
Prices: £35, £27 and £17.
Booking fees will apply.