The NYBBGB Weston Conductors’ Competition is now open for entries

The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, the UK’s leading brass bands for children and young people which next year celebrates its 70th anniversary, has just announced their first ever Conductors’ Competition is now open for entries. This, the Band’s inaugural conductors’ competition, supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation, is a major step in creating opportunities for up-and-coming musicians to make an impact on today’s youth music scene.

The competition offers a range of prizes for the winner, including conducting a work in the Band’s 70th Anniversary Celebration Concert and being tutored by Martyn Brabbins.

“The National Youth Brass Band traditionally nurtures young brass and percussion players, preparing them for further education, teaching and music making in the community. Many go on to become professional musicians in top orchestras. However, many diversify and develop into conductors. This new competition will give the winner the opportunity to work with maestro Martyn Brabbins for a full week. His expertise and experience will help nurture their talent and hopefully feed back into the brass band movement benefiting many others along the way.”

Dr. Robert Childs, NYBBGB Director of Artistic Planning and Competition Judge.

Competition Process

The competition will consist of an application stage followed by two further rounds. In order to enter the competition, participants must be aged between 20 and 30 years old on 1st January 2022. Entries will be accepted for the competition until October 1st 2021. To enter, complete a short biography, upload a video submission and provide your contact information to qualify.

Successful entrants will go through an online interview stage before being notified of their acceptance. Finally, from the interview stage six conductors will be selected and will get to work with a band made up of members of the NYBBGB, being assessed by Martyn Brabbins, Dr Robert Childs and Captain Sam Hairsine RM. For the final stage of the competition, three finalists will have their skills judged by these same panelists.

“Discovering new conducting talent, and then nurturing that talent is something I am passionately committed to. First though, one has to give the aspiring conductor a chance to show what he or she has to offer. This new competition will do just that, and by a process of selection and with careful guidance, new talent will be given the chance to flourish.”

Martyn Brabbins, NYBBGB Youth Band Guest Conductor Summer 2022 and Competition Judge.

For more detailed information regarding the competition process, please refer to the NYBBGB Weston Conductors Competition page on the NYBBGB website: https://www.nybbgb.org.uk/cc2022

The Weston Prize for Conducting

The winner of the Weston Prize for Conducting will join maestro Martyn Brabbins and the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain for their Summer Course at Taunton School between 30th July and 6th.

The opportunity includes working as Associate Conductor and rehearsing side-by-side with the Band’s music staff and young people. The winner not only will conduct a work at the NYBBGB’s 70th Anniversary concert on 6th August in London, but also receive £500 to explore their talents alongside and be mentored by Martyn Brabbins.