Battle Youth Brass
The ensemble, under the direction of Jon Penton, attracts members from local Secondary schools in the 1066 Country area of East Sussex, and offers the unique opportunity for local young brass players to rehearse and perform as a brass band.
BYB was formed by Peter Mitchell as part of the expanding County Music Service in 1992. While still organised and run under the East Sussex Music Service umbrella (click on link for more info on these wonderful people!), BYB is supported by Battle Town Band for stands and music, and many band members volunteer their time free of charge to coach the youngsters and help out at rehearsals and concerts. Youth Band members also have access to instruments owned by the senior Band, which is particularly useful for players of expensive or obscure (!) instruments such as Soprano, Flugel and Basses.
College and University courses regularly remove our more experienced players and many others are now members of local brass bands. Several Battle Youth players are also members of the County Youth brass band. Membership - usually by invitation - is open to all local young brass players and percussionists. Rehearsals are held at Claverham Community College, Battle, on Friday evenings preceding the senior band rehearsal.
The ensemble plays four or five concerts each year and encourages its members to play in many other ensembles in the area. For the last few years they have performed at the primary schools Christmas festival - St Mary-in-the Castle Theatre, Hastings - playing to over 200 local junior school children, plus their parents. They also give regular concerts on Battle's bandstand. In 2000 the band performed for the Battle Marvellium celebrations involving a joint concert with the Hastings Area Youth Symphony Orchestra, which was held in a 400-Seater Marquee in the grounds of Battle Abbey. They have also given concerts in St Peter and St Paul's Church, Hastings and performed as part of the Battle Festival.
In 2001 they gave the premiere of a specially-commissioned new work for youth band by Philip Sparke at the National School Band Association Brass Festival in Maidstone, Kent, under the baton of the composer.