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. There is currently a waiting list for those wishing to
begin lessons. If you would like to put your name down for
lessons then please let us know by contacting the Band Secretary
through any of the channels listed on the contacts page.
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 play at various local events throughout the year,
including concerts at The Howe Chapel and St. Catherine's Church.
All of Ballafesson Brass's engagements and practices now appear on the
main
engagements page of this
site.
PICTURES
Pictures of Ballafesson Brass playing at the Workshop Weekend
with Richard Evans in October 2010 are now on the main picture pages of
this site. There are also pictures of Ballafesson Brass (and the
band's Junior Ensemble) playing at the
2009 Summer Fayre on the archive pictures page. Pictures from
events prior to 2009 appear below.
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.
