Wardle High School host Music for Youth Regional Festival

Music for Youth Regional Festival at Wardle High School

On Saturday 23 March Wardle High School hosted the Music for Youth Regional Festival.

Last week four bands under Wardle High School Musical Directors were told that they have made it through to the National Festival at Birmingham Symphony Hall. Wardle High Youth Band, Smithy Bridge Brass Band, St James Brass Band and Littleborough Wind Band have all made it through to this prestigious venue in July.

A band’s journey through Music for Youth starts at a Regional Festival. During this festival, Wardle High School managed to impress the musical mentors with four of their musical bands.

The Music for Youth Regional Festival was able to go ahead on the 23 March despite bad weather. Seventeen musical groups performed throughout the day. The groups comprised of three from Littleborough Community School, two from Smithy Bridge Primary School, two from St James' C of E Primary School and five from Wardle High School. In addition groups had travelled from Middleton, Stockport, Crewe, Mossley and Darwen to participate. The day went fantastically well, resulting in constructive and supportive comments by the music mentors.

Wardle High Youth Band and Smithy Bridge Bass Band, both conducted by Lee Rigg, St James, conducted by Gwen Smith, and Littleborough Primary Wind Band, conducted by Jane Conway, have found out this month that they will all be going to Birmingham. 

Janet Emsley, Director of Performing Arts, said: "Once again, Wardle and our Partner Primary Schools will be well-represented at the National Festival in Birmingham. The young people will have the opportunity to perform in the magnificent Symphony Hall, it will be a momentous event for them. Hopefully they will have many more brilliant musical experiences in the future. Well done to everyone involved."

Music for Youth is a national music education charity providing free access to performance and audience opportunities for young musicians across the UK through it annual season of festivals and concerts. They organise festivals and concerts across the UK for any group to perform in aged 21 and under. The festivals showcase all styles of music and are a great opportunity to get feedback from music industry professionals. They also organise lots of workshops, master classes and collaborations throughout the year.

As well as being a strong performing academic school Wardle High School has a strong tradition in the performing arts, but particularly in brass band music. The school has several groups and bands and they also support local primary schools.