– Friday 12 December 2008, Gerrans Parish Memorial Hall, Portscatho, 7.30 pm

St Dennis Youth Brass Band – music from the champions

The December concert of the Roseland Music Society promises to bring the society’s highly successful 2008 programme to a rousing conclusion, with a performance by the St Dennis Youth Brass Band. Formed in 1962, the band first came to national prominence in 1968 when they attended the National Finals in London at the Chelsea Town Hall, coming away with second place with the test piece "Three Songs Without Words" by Eric Ball. They went on to win the National Finals in 1972 and 1973, playing "A Dales Suite" by Arthur Butterworth in 1972, and "Partita" by Edward Gregson in 1973

The appointment of Brian Minear as musical director to the St Dennis Band in 2001 marked the beginning of a resurgence in the fortunes of the Youth Band. In March 2007 they won the title "Cornish Youth Band Champions 2007" at the Cornish Brass Band Contest, held in Truro, and in the following month they received a Gold award at the National Youth Championships of Great Britain. In June 2007, they won the set work section at the West of England Bandsmen's Festival, three points clear of their local rivals from Mount Charles. 2008 has been another outstanding year for the band, with a successful defence of their “Cornish Youth Band Champions” title, at the Cornish Brass Band Association’s 53rd annual contest. On this occasion, the band were also awarded prizes for the best percussion section and best brass section of the day, while flugelhorn player Zoe Hancock was awarded best soloist in the youth section and also best player of the day.

The programme includes a broad selection of well known traditional and popular music from the brass band repertoire as well as seasonal Christmas pieces. Zoe Hancock will be the flugelhorn soloist in an arrangement from Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez for guitar and orchestra.