Shirley Announce Partnership with Warwick University Brass Society

In a new initiative, the Shirley Band and Warwick University Brass Society have formed a partnership that will see students participating in rehearsals, concerts and potentially contests, with the Solihull-based Championship Section band. The Warwick University Brass Society has a well-respected 30-year history in nurturing and developing young brass players during the period of their studies, so it is hoped that by playing alongside more experienced musicians, the students will further enhance their skills and musicianship. It is also hoped that the wider brass band community will also benefit, in that when the students leave university, they will join a brass band and continue their playing career.

The band’s Musical Director, Tom Stoneman, reflects on the already positive start of the partnership, saying “I'm really happy to be developing the link between the University and the Shirley Band. The players have enjoyed experiencing banding off-campus and hopefully we can encourage as many students as we can to take it up, alongside, and after their studies. As a community, we need to support music making across the board as it is something that can bring people together from all walks of life; a 20-year old maths student and someone who's been a bander for 60 years will always be able to share a passion when there's the opportunity to sit in the same room and make music.”

Already, this partnership has seen the two bands perform a joint Christmas Concert and students join the band for rehearsals. Additionally, Emily Fawthrop, Warwick University Brass Society President, recently became the Shirley Band’s Solo Tenor Horn, making her contest debut on “Red Priest” at the Midlands Area Contest.