The second annual Youth Fest for youngsters aged eight to 18 included workshops as well as performing, giving the budding musicians the chance to rehearse and perform together.
The public concert staged at North Finchley’s Arts Depot centre at the end featured “an energising programme” showing their talent and enthusiasm.
The festival was put on by Brass Bands England to encourage more music in schools.
“The energy was incredible,” the organisation’s Sarah Baumann said. “To see so many young musicians on stage playing their hearts out is exactly what Youth Fest is all about.”
The young musicians were welcomed on stage by Mayor of Barnet Cllr Danny Rich. He told the audience: “I know first-hand how rewarding it is to have music in the family, as a parent of four and a grandparent.”
Schools taking part included Gospel Oak Primary, Haberdashers Elstree Prep and Harting Primary, while school youth bands performing were Camden Youth, Barnet Arts Trust, Barnet Youth Brass and St Albans City Youth.
Barnet Youth Brass musical director Peter Yarde Martin said: “Our musicians enjoyed learning pieces by ear in a street brass workshop, hearing other young bands play and performing our own set of pieces in front of an audience.”
One of Brass Band England’s promotions has been ‘Proms in the Playground’ running until July 18 that encourages community bands in schools by holding performances during Brass Band Week, an annual event raising awareness to get children ‘tuned in’ to making music themselves.
Youth Champs, the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, are held annually with competitive and non-competitive sections. The next championships are March 2026 in Birmingham, with entries opening this September.
It was originally set up as the British Federation of Brass Bands in 1968 as a national cultural voice for players and music-making in communities, to promote the rewards of being involved in a brass bands.
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