Musician plays for eight bands, including National Children’s Brass Band

Talented musician Alice Clarke spends every weekday night playing tenor horn with one of eight bands that she is a member of.

When it comes to the weekend, she is often playing in concerts or competitions and during the summer holidays she joins the National Children’s Brass Band for an intense residential week of music.

Alice, 12, was just 10 when she earned the place with the national band, and 11 when she went on her first summer camp.

The Whitworth Community High School student spent an amazing week at Repton School in Derbyshire, whose alumni include Roald Dahl and Jeremy Clarkson.

She joined 58 other young musicians, aged from nine to 14, and they spent eight hours a day rehearsing in readiness for an end of course concert.

Alice was delighted when she was introduced to her mentor - former Whitworth student Zoe Wright who is studying at the Royal Northern College of Music; Zoe is also Alice’s piano teacher.

 

 

When she re-auditioned, so the musical director could decide who would be sitting where, she was delighted to be selected as principal first horn.

Alice added: “It was brilliant to work with famous brass musicians like Owen Farr and Katrina Marzalla as well as being conducted by Professor Nick Childs who usually conducts Black Dyke Band.

“Friendship in bands is different because we all understand each other.”

At the finale concert in Derbyshire, the musicians played music from ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Matilda’, a nod to the school’s old boy.

They also gave a world premiere to a specially written piece entitled ‘Repton Fantasy’.

Alice said: “I started playing at six on the tenor horn, my mum plays clarinet and teaches and her boyfriend plays euphonium. My grandmother sings and plays piano.

“I play with Rochdale Intermediate and Rochdale Youth, Whitworth Senior and Whitworth Youth, Manchester Hub, Rochdale Wind and Rochdale Junior and Whitworth Community High School Band.

“On one night I play for three different bands and I am always practising. I play because I find it fun and it gives me something to do.”

Given her passion for music, her ideal future career comes as a bit of a surprise.

She added: “I would like to be an air traffic controller. Music has always been a part of my life, but I want to keep it just as a hobby.”