Some of the world’s best street bands have descended on Durham as this year’s BRASS Festival gets underway.
The festival began today (Friday, 13 July) with an energetic performance from New Orleans’ street band Shake Em Up in Durham Market Place, marking this year’s focus on female performers.
The band will later perform outside of the Gala Theatre ahead of Women and Brass, a concert celebrating legendary band leader Ivy Benson whose all-girl band became one of the most popular dance groups during the war years and beyond.
Drummer Crissy Lee, an original band member who played alongside Ivy, will lead the tributes alongside her all-female big band featuring many of the UK’s leading female jazz artists. The audience will also be treated to a spellbinding show from Swedish trumpet star Gunhild Carling, whose performances have been viewed millions of times on YouTube.
Leader of Durham County Council, Cllr Simon Henig, said: “BRASS is one of the highlights of our cultural calendar and it is great to see bands from across the world arriving in Durham for this truly international festival.
“The event builds on our proud brass band heritage while also encouraging the next generation to get involved with music. The community outreach sessions remain at the heart of the festival programme and we are delighted so many schools and organisations are getting involved this year.”
The festival hopes to inspire more young women to take up brass instruments, building on the good progress made in recent years.
Durham Music Service has seen an eight per increase in girls playing brass instruments since 2015, while at a recent University Brass Band Championship for the UK and Northern Ireland, 55 per of the participants were female.
Other events over the opening weekend include BRASS Goes to Hollywood which will see Durham’s own West End star Matthew Gent join the Scottish Swing Orchestra and the BRASS Hollywood Chorus to celebrate some great musical tunes.
Tickets are still available for a number of concerts across the 10-day festival, including Bach and Brass in the stunning acoustic of Durham Cathedral, the James Morrison Quartet at Gala Theatre and a special performance from the Fine Arts Brass Ensemble to accompany the new BFG exhibition at Bowes Museum.
The ever-popular Big Brass Bash events are also returning to parks across the county, starting with Shotton Hall on Monday evening and featuring street bands from the likes of Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, Back Chat Brass and emerging female musicians Breakout Brass.
Streets of BRASS also returns to Durham City for the festival’s finale on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 July, with high-energy performances sure to have crowds up on their feet and dancing.
For more information visit www.brassfestival.co.uk
