Elland Silver Band: Young musicians ready to travel to Sweden for European brass band contest

Elland Silver Youth Band will leave on Friday (May 5) to take part in the European Youth Brass Band Championships in Malmo on Sunday.

It will be the sixth consecutive time the band has qualified to take part.

The group of 39 young musicians, aged 10 to 18, have been rehearsing intensively since Christmas and have been preparing a 20-minute programme which includes the set test piece ‘Turning Torso’ by Magnus Hylander.

To fund the project, Elland Silver Youth Band has raised £17,000 towards travel and accommodation costs.

One of the young musicians is Rosie Barber, who is 18 and in her final year with the band.

"The competition, to me, is about a team of different people putting in their absolute all for months to create 20 minutes where the world seems to stop spinning and we all play our hearts out together,” she said.

Thirteen-year-old Charlie Hirst is one of the band’s newest members and said: “I'm looking forward to playing together with new friends in a very famous contest, seeing a new country and feeling proud of what we’ve done after lots of work.”Musical Director of Elland Silver Youth Band Samantha Harrison added: "It’s a huge undertaking to organise but its going to be an epic adventure and experience we'll never forget.

"We've lots of players coming on their first band trip and they've all worked so hard in rehearsals and at home to give their very best and are really excited.”For more information about the band, visit their website or email [email protected].