Learning to Play & Ballafesson Brass
For those people, both adult and child, who wish to learn to play a
brass or percussion instrument, the band has a regular set of Friday
night tuition classes, with the ultimate aim of the players joining the
full
band.
TRAINING BAND - BALLAFESSON BRASS
Once learners have had tuition for a while they will start to play with
the Training Band, now called Ballafesson Brass. Ballafesson
Brass are an ensemble of between
10 and 20 players that play more challenging music than that played in
the first few months of tuition. They are available
for concerts and have played at several engagements where the
Full Band has not been playing; as well as playing slots at the Band
Fayres and the Richard Evans Workshop Weekend.
ENGAGEMENTS
Ballafesson Brass played at
St Catherine's Church, Port Erin on 9th September, The
Howe Chapel on 20th November and The Band Christmas Fayre on 26th
November 2009.
The next confirmed engagement for Ballafesson Brass is Band Christmas
Fayre on 10th july 2010. Ballafesson Brass will also be playing
at St. Catherine's Church, Port Erin and at Ballakilpheric later in the
year. All of Ballafesson Brass's concerts will appear on the main
engagements page of this site.
PICTURES
Pictures of Ballafesson Brass (and the junior ensemble) playing at the
2009 Summer Fayre are now on the archive pictures page.
Training Band at the Christmas Fayre 2008
Training Band at the Workshop Concert with Richard Evans - 21st
September 2008
Click on the pictures for a larger image.
Training Band at the Summer Fayre - 14th June 2008
The Band do alot of work with the younger members of the community in
the south of the island. To help with this work a donation was
made to the Alistair Drinkwater Memorial Fund by the Kelly Fogg
Memorial Fund
on 8th September 2007. A picture of the presentation is below:-
As well as the teaching on a Friday night, the learners have the
opportunity to take part in a number of social events organised by the
band during the year. Recent events have included indoor
football, ten-pin bowling, the Department of Education "Wet and Wild"
event, as well as the band quiz and treasure hunt.
The younger members of the band also play in the solo classes at the
Manx Music Festival every spring.
For more details about learning an instrument, please contact Alan Crebbin.
