Top brass: 70 years of NYBBGB

Established in 1952 by Denis Wright, the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB) has produced some of the finest brass playing talent: Philip Cobb, James Fountain, Peter Moore, and Becky Smith to name a few. Even Maurice Murphy, trumpet player for the original Star Wars soundtrack, was principal cornet on the inaugural course. To mark the band's 70th anniversary, I met CEO Mark Bromley and director of artistic planning Dr Robert Childs to reflect on the band's long running success.

‘Obviously, to keep an institution going for 70 years is a huge achievement,’ says Bromley. ‘I think if we look back over the history of the band and some of the people who have come through it, that's testament in itself. We've got alumni who come from all walks of life, including banking, medicine, and commerce. People seem to progress very well after they've been through, and it is not just about music; it's about teaching people teamwork and leadership and things like that.’