Blowing our own trumpet: Brass Band winners

The UK-wide University Brass Band Championship, UniBrass, is the only contest of its kind with university bands competing against each other every year to win the title of 'Champion University Brass Band'. The annually held competition is run by students for students to forge strong links between universities whilst keeping brass players involved in live music.

Students and alumni from the university of Salford came in 1st place overall scoring 141 points after entering the competition for the first time this year.

It is the first-time students and alumni from the University of Salford have entered such a competition alongside conductor, Richard Harvey, Lecturer in Classical Music Performance & Conducting.

The contest is judged on both the band’s entertainment factor and their musical ability. The band featured both current students and alumni who delivered the best programme of the night adjudicated by two legends of the brass band world, Robert Childs and David Hirst.

Richard said: “Winning UniBrass has been an amazing experience for all involved.  The students involved all worked extremely hard to ensure that the performance we gave on the day was the winning one, and to beat some of the best music conservatories in the country just made the achievement all the more remarkable.  To be crowned University Brass Band Champions of Great Britain on our first attempt is testament to the quality of not only our students, but also the staff and facilities at the University of Salford.  I would strongly advise any young person who is considering a career in music to come and have a look at the degree programmes we offer.”

Alumna, Jessica Wilson said: “I was absolutely delighted to be asked to play at their debut performance at UniBrass. The band were just delighted to attend the competition, so to win was an amazing bonus! It was a massive team effort in which everyone played their part, and the moment we were announced as winners is one I’ll never forget.”

It’s been a big month for the music students at the University of Salford as only last week they were visited by the Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland, one of the world’s leading professional concert bands, who performed a free concert to a packed Maxwell Hall.

Not only were they joined on stage by several University of Salford Music students who played in the band, having taken part in a workshop during the afternoon, but they also played a three-movement piece that was directed by our final year conducting students on the Musical Arts Course; David McGlynn, Alistair Harrison, and Adam Stretton, who joined the Marines at their base earlier in the week for some intensive coaching.