First SBBA Speaks podcast takes to the airwaves

The Scottish Brass Band Association’s very first podcast has taken to the airwaves. The SBBA Speaks podcast is hosted by young brass banders Iona McVicar and Laura Carter who have developed the initiative after their experience of putting together a Youth Speaks Roadshow for SBBA in June.

It has the aim of creating a space for Scottish brass banding youth to keep up to date with news and discuss topics that are important to them.

The inaugural episode which aired on Saturday (4 December) features the duo recording a ‘vox pop’ of people’s opinions at the Scottish Festival of Brass on how their banding and musical experiences have been impacted by the pandemic, how they have dealt with coming back to band, and how excited they are about playing live music again.

Winner of the SBBA Young Composers Competition in 2019, Iona started learning tenor horn with Campbeltown Brass when she was eight.

Laura started playing trumpet at 10 years old before quickly making the jump to tuba. Now in her third year studying for a BMus Hons degree at Edinburgh Napier University, she is currently playing with St David’s Brass.

You can tune in to the podcast at https://open.spotify.com/episode/0u9s5ASEk0pZm3prO6Wrn4#_=_

If you would like to let Iona and Laura have your feedback on the first episode or have any ideas for future broadcasts, you can contact them via Instagram @sbbaspeakspodcast