The winners of the 2018 ‘Create a Buzz’ competition, Pennthorpe School, Sussex proudly showed off their winner’s prizes of pBones, pTrumpets and pCornets when they performed their updated version of the original ‘Create a Buzz’ composition by Jonny Bates.
Pennthorpe, having been awarded their new instruments by WMG in late 2018 showed off their increasing brass playing talents at a performance at the National Youth Brass Band Championships held in Warwick.
In their second successive year performing at the NYBBC the group were accompanied by Huddersfield University Brass Band. Linda Cole, their inspirational teacher, said ‘the kids were fabulous and really did themselves and everyone from the school proud. They are all having so much fun learning to play the pInstruments'
Darren Lea
Darren began brass and percussion lessons at school at the age of 7, and is from a brass banding family. He has been privileged to be able to play with a number of brass groups and bands throughout the UK and europe, as well as playing with friends at the Brass Band of Central Florida in the USA on a number of occasions (including playing top man for the 2013 NABBA contest in Cincinnati). He was asked to help them on their last UK tour where they competed at the Brass in Concert championships.
Darren provides support to various brass bands across the UK which enables him to connect with and assist bands all over the country. A particular focus is helping organisations establish youth and community groups to introduce the next generation of musicians into the brass band movement. As a huge brass band enthusiast (he was recently voted ‘Bandsman of the Year’ by his colleagues at Foden’s Band), Darren works with bands, schools and organisations to share stories with our customers that highlight why music matters.
