Tewit Youth Band has the Brass Factor

It was the only youth band competing in the competition with the other bands being adult and from higher sections.

Being a youth band it loses members at the age of 18 to go to University etc, and in September it lost almost half the band.

Undaunted, and under their musical director Martin Hall, members took the stage for this first performance.

The band came just outside the first three positions and were pleased to compete well against very experienced opposition.

The band also had the satisfaction of winning the prize for the youngest player in the competition, Ben Fearnley, who was only just 11 years old.

A spokesman for the band said: “Opening with the great Olympic Fanfare and Theme the band stood to present a splendid sound. Sitting down they played a traditional Brass Band March in Barnard Castle, which was much appreciated by the audience.

“For his first solo, young Gabriel Snowden played Goodbye to Love on the Tenor Horn with the confidence and expertise far above his years, followed by Feather Theme.

“Another solo on the percussion drum kit of Henry Mills came the famous Cute by Neil Hefti, which was a very soft execution splendidly played.

“To round off the performance the band exploded with a dynamic rendition of Hootananny, which had the audience joining in with clapping and applauding their dancing at the end.”

The band’s Christmas Concert at The Forum in Harrogate Grammar School is held on Wednesday 21 December at 7pm. Tickets are available on the door at £5 (Under 16s free).