Royston Town Band > Give Brass a Go!

Give Brass a Go!

In September 2009 Hertfordshire Community Foundation awarded the band £4,493 through their Grassroots Grants programme, to run 'Give Brass a Go!'

Give Brass a Go! is fun, free and it's open to everyone. The three workshop course will be run by a pro band trainer who will use all his skills and experience to help you find musical skills you might never know you had!

Session 1 18th Oct 2009	The first installment. Mike Fowles and a team of pro tutors led a fantastic day long workshop and concert. The mix of nearly 60 brass and woodwind players from Royston band, the local community and Royston's German twin town put on a great show and learnt a lot along the way. "Excellent day. Well organised and run, professional music tuition that was inclusinve to all standards of players" "Highly enjoyable, good to know I can still play after 5 years!"
Session 2 21st Nov 2009	The second installment. A smaller affair this time - we concentrated on getting into the nitty gritty of a new piece. After a learning masterclass, we had a relaxed recording session to show to ourselves the progress we'd made - very satisfying. "I liked it all!" "Excellent day! Very worthwhile, thank you."
Session 3 28th Feb 2010	The final thing. We've done big and beautiful, we've done small and technical - in the final session we put the two together. There are so many people to thank for making this course a success - Hertfordshire Community Foundation for making the days possible through their funding - Graham for coming up with the idea and doing a lot of the organising - Mike for getting the most out of us for 3 great sessions - all the tutors who have taken sectionals - the amazing caterers, all of Royston Band who have helped do publicity etc etc - everyone who came along and worked so hard! "Very high standards of teaching and both in full band and sectionals. A really inspiring course, thank you." "I wish I could have come to the previous ones!" Click on the picture to the right for photos of the day...

Meet your workshop Musical Director - Michael Fowles

Widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of his generation Michael was awarded the Staffordshire Music Dept. Harry Mortimer Award for his contribution to brass playing and the Staffs. County Council Young Achievers Award.

He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and at this time began to work as a freelance trombonist.

Michael’s conducting career began in 1995 when he became Musical Director of the Point of Ayr Band from North Wales. During his five-year tenure the band enjoyed what is arguably their most successful period.

In addition to his work with Ratby Co-Operative Band 2009 has seen Michael delighted to accept 2 major appointments. Firstly to become Professional Musical Director of the Co-operative Funeralcare Band (formerly Scottish Co-Op) and secondly, in somewhat of a musical full circle, to become Associate Conductor of Fodens Band.

To read more about Mike, click here