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It only feels like a couple of weeks since I was last gearing myself up for a contest. Oh. That’ll be because it has only been a couple...

So it’s been five years since I’ve been to Butlins and it’s nice to see that, like the other wonders of the world, Butlins hasn’t changed...

As banders, we’re used to our calendars being filled with band jobs. Contests, carolling, concerts, marches, etc- we get a lot done in a...

So I’ve recently celebrated my twenty-third birthday (one step closer to a zimmer frame and a free bus pass- wahoo!) and during my...

Uneventful? With me? Never. So, I wasn’t planning on writing about last weekend’s concerts as I thought it was going to be a...

Last weekend I had the pleasure of being asked to dep for two bands at the Blackburn and Darwen Hymn and March contest. Before I get into...

I had to think a little bit harder about this list as there is a wealth of test pieces that I would love to play and there are so many...

When I was in my teens and I really caught the banding bug, there were quite a few aspirations I had for my future in banding. From...

One conversation that I have seen cropping up in the banding circle time and again is how our movement should adapt to modern times....

I would just like to start off by saying I admire composers. Sitting for hours, figuring how to get the ideas out of your head onto...

Short answer: No. That’s all folks, thanks for reading! It can be unpleasant and extreme cases can be debilitating, but like most things...

So, we find ourselves at the fourth week of our exploration into Performance Anxiety. So far, we know what Performance Anxiety is, how it...

So far in our little exploration of Performance Anxiety, we’ve discovered exactly what it means and how it can feel. This week we’re...

Short answer? Naff! It feels naff! Oh, to be able to go out on stage as carefree as Theresa May skipping through a field of wheat. I...

Debut So, as we all know on the 18th May 2019, bands from up and down the country will be descending on the Blackpool Winter Gardens for...

It’s Back! Hello! I know it’s been a while since I last presented a Young Star article, but it’s back and what an article I’ve got to...

He was the first euphonium player to study at degree level at the Cork School of music, from there he has held the Solo Euphonium seat at...

I started playing when I was seven years old, so I can’t really remember my life before banding. I’d say something profound like ‘my life...

When something takes up so much of your life, it creates a lot of memories- the good, the bad and the downright embarrassing. Now for...

Hello! So, if you’ve been following this blog for a while (you troopers!) and you’ve read the title, I suppose you’ve probably guessed...