Bold as brass!
PIC: Ian Surgenor of YAC Promotions (left) and Mike Pratt Pratt of Shepherd Group Brass Band, joint organisers of York Brass Against Cancer
The true sound of Yorkshire is being harnessed to raise cash for city charity York Against Cancer.
The world-renowned Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band is coming to York to join forces with the city’s own Shepherd Group Brass Band for an afternoon of top-class brass music.
York Brass Against Cancer is being organised by YAC Promotions, the entertainment specialists who have raised more than £65,000 for York Against Cancer through a string of musical events including York Rocks, York Swings, York Musicals and York Country Against Cancer.
The money has helped fund initiatives like the charity’s daily minibus taking patients to Leeds for radiotherapy, its mobile chemotherapy unit serving north and east Yorkshire and its respite homes offering free short breaks to families living with cancer.
The Brighouse & Rastrick Band
“When you think of Yorkshire, you think of brass bands,” said Ian Surgenor, founder of YAC Promotions and joint organiser of York Brass Against Cancer. “I just love a brass band myself and knowing Mike Pratt, who is in the Shepherd band, made me think.
“We’ve done country, rock, swing and musicals – it seemed that brass would be a good thing to do. Mike knows someone at the Brighouse and Rastrick, the band that’s so famous for the Floral Dance, so he asked if they would like to be involved. When they came back to say they would do it we were absolutely delighted.”
Mike, who’s organising the event alongside Ian, said: “The Shepherd Group Brass Band have been supporters of York Against Cancer for many years and have performed concerts to raise money for this very worthy cause.
“The partnership with Brighouse and Rastrick came about because I know Ryan Watkins, who plays solo trombone with the band. He’s one of the country’s top trombone players and he started his playing career with us.
“It’s a real coup for us to get them, and great for us to share a stage with a band like that.”
Ryan said: “The Brighouse & Rastrick Band are looking forward to visiting York, a city we rarely seem to perform in. The opportunity to play in a fabulous venue with our friends at Shepherds is one we are looking forward to, made even better in supporting this great cause.”
The event has sponsorship support from Pavers, the York-based shoe company who also backed the Christmas concert the Shepherd Group Brass Band held in aid of York Against Cancer last year.
Compere for the event is David Hoyle, presenter of Yorkshire Brass, the brass band programme on the BBC Yorkshire local radio network on Sunday afternoons.
York Brass Against Cancer takes place at the Grand Opera House, York, on January 19, 2020. Tickets priced £15 are available from http://bit.ly/2pKzmC0 or from the theatre box office.
For more information about Pavers, visit http://www.pavers.co.uk, and to find out more about its Foundation visit http://www.paversfoundation.co.uk