MUSICIANS from Haslingden High School are hoping to secure a place in a national celebration of music.
The school’s Wind Band competed in two competitions at Rochdale Town Hall.
The first was Rochdale Youth Festival of Performing Arts where the band scored 98 out of 100 and won the wind group trophy and then they played at the Music for Youth Regional Festival.
At both they played Metrix, a mathematical-themed piece, Cyclone, which is about a storm, and African Beat, which has catchy, rhythmic percussion beats.
Adjudicator at Rochdale Youth Festival Barry Russell described the timing in Metrix as ‘excellent,’ said the chorusing in Cyclone was ‘glorious’ and added they ‘maintained near professional musical standards’ in African Beat.
Head of Expressive Arts Kevin Gibbs said: “We are now waiting to see if we have got a place in the Music for Youth National Festival celebration, which is held at Birmingham Symphony Hall in July.
“There were lots of schools from all over the North West in the competition, from Liverpool, Yorkshire and all over the North West.
“We have 45 members in the band from Year 7 to Year 13 and baritone saxophonist Jessica Streek also got a special mention from the judges.”
Jessica, 18, will start Salford University in September studying theatre and performance, but she is hoping to continue playing as the university has a saxophone ensemble.
Ella Hall, 12, has been playing the flute since she was in Year 3 at Stubbins Primary School.
“I picked to come to Haslingden High School because of the music,” she said. “I like the way the different instruments combine together in the band.”
Tianna Copeland, 15, has played three different instruments since she joined the band in Year 7 and now plays tuba.
“I like playing in the band because it is something different and it is something you can say that you do that most other people don’t,” she said.
They are now all waiting for the letter to see if they have secured a place in the national final.