Platinum prize for wind band

Wardle High School’s Junior Wind Band has won the North West of England Platinum Award at the National Concert Band Festival.

The band participated in the festival on Sunday (20 November) and the award means they will now go on to perform in London at the Royal Academy Hall in April.

The National Concert Band Festival is recognised as the largest, enterprising Festival for wind instrument musicians through the UK.

The annual festival assesses performances at Regional events throughout the country by experts who award Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze awards.

Wardle High’s Junior Wind Band reformed in 2007. Since its reincarnation the band has grown from twenty to fifty members.

This is the second year that the band has taken part in the Festival.

Last year the band were awarded with a Silver Award. This year they were hoping to achieve a Gold Award, and have excelled themselves in achieving the Platinum Award.

Director of Performing Arts, Janet Emsley said: “The band played really well, for some of them it was their first festival performance, I am very proud of them.”