Rochdale musicians on the national stage

Rochdale will be represented on a national stage this week as four Ensembles compete in the Music for Youth finals in Birmingham.

The groups have been invited down to perform following a string of impressive performances in the regional qualifiers held here in Rochdale earlier this year.

The event kicks off today (Monday 5 July 2010) and will run until Saturday in various venues in Birmingham, including the impressive Symphony Hall.

Rochdale Junior Big Band are the town’s first representative and will perform today.

Rochdale’s next entrant, That’s all Folk, will perform Thursday morning, followed later in the day by Rochdale Youth Brass Band.

Friday (9 July 2010) sees Rochdale Concert Band perform in the competition.

There is a clear incentive to the bands at this weeks event as a select few will earn an invite to the Schools Prom held at the world famous Royal Albert Hall later this year from 8-10 November.

Music for Youth is an educational charity with a worldwide reputation for its work in music education, promoting all styles, sounds and genres of music.

Richard Charles, head of Rochdale Music Service, said: “I would like to wish all our groups success in this week’s festival.

“They have once again shown we have ensembles of national standard in the borough.”

Rochdale has been represented well over the years in the competition with bands regularly being invited down to the finals with many cases of success.

Several ensembles have won Bronze, Silver and Gold awards at the event and the town has been represented at the Schools Prom five times in recent years.