Musicians wanted: New concert band to launch in Alnwick for beginners and returning players

The band aims to address a growing gap in local music provision by giving beginner and returning players the chance to make music together in a supportive, community-focused environment.

Prelude Concert Band is open to both adults and young people who play woodwind, brass, percussion, or double bass, with organisers hoping to inspire new musicians and revitalise musical participation across north Northumberland.

The band also welcomes pianists who are interested in learning tuned percussion, as the skills are highly transferable and offer a rare opportunity for pianists to take part in an ensemble setting.

Band founder and conductor Rachel Stephenson, an environmental scientist and keen saxophonist, explains the inspiration behind the project: “When I was at Lindisfarne Middle School, I loved taking part in the orchestra.

"At Duchess, I was in so many different bands. We even had external musicians coming into the school to run them for us and regular concerts to perform at. It was an amazing opportunity to play an instrument with a group, and I made some lifelong friends.

"Music became such a key part of my life that it was one of my main criteria for picking which universities to apply to, even though I was studying engineering. I couldn’t imagine not having a band to play in.”

Rachel credits the numerous school ensembles she participated in for fostering lifelong friendships and a lasting passion for music.

“I was so lucky to have opportunities to play my instrument with other people as I was learning, at the level I was learning it at,” she said. “Without that, I don’t think I would have got anywhere near as much enjoyment out of playing, and I doubt I would have kept going with lessons.

"It’s such a shame that children nowadays aren’t getting those same opportunities, and I’m really worried that if we don’t do something to address the problem now, we’re going to end up with entire generations severely depleted of musicians.”

Local concerns reflect a broader national trend. Cuts to arts funding and shifting priorities have increasingly affected music education, and schools have struggled to maintain extra-curricular groups.

Dan Lyst is Prelude Concert Band’s other founder and conductor. A professional musician who studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, Dan now performs and tours with his tribute band, Chasing Mumford, and works as a peripatetic music teacher in local schools.

Dan said: “Playing music with a group is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable things that anyone can do, whether as a career or just for fun. My hope is that Prelude Concert Band can provide an opportunity for local musicians to play together and develop their skills, so that they can enjoy the many benefits of being involved in a fantastic local ensemble here in Alnwick.”

While North Northumberland boasts several successful community bands - including Alnwick Playhouse Concert Band, Coquet Concert Band and Berwick Concert Band - most require a minimum playing level of Grade 4, 5, or higher. The nearest beginner-focused concert band ensemble is the Yamaha Class Band in Blyth,.

Prelude Concert Band emphasises that players do not need to have taken formal exams. A Grade 2 playing level typically means a musician can: read basic musical notation; assemble and care for their instrument; play simple melodies with confidence; and manage straightforward rhythms and dynamics

The band is also keen to welcome pianists, who often miss out on ensemble playing because concert band music rarely includes piano parts. Tuned percussion - such as glockenspiel, tubular bells and xylophone - shares many similarities with the piano keyboard.

Prelude Concert Band has access to a full range of percussion instruments, provided by Alnwick Playhouse Concert Band.

The Alnwick Playhouse Concert Band has already seen success in this area, having supported pianist William Lindsay in transitioning to percussion after he attended an open rehearsal in July 2024.

William said: “I am really enjoying playing the different tuned percussion instruments with Alnwick Playhouse Concert Band because it has been a good opportunity to improve my skills as a musician beyond just playing the piano. It also gives me the chance to play with a larger group of people than might be possible on piano. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone thinking about expanding the range of instruments they play.”

After the inception of Alnwick Playhouse Concert Band in 1994, there was an accompanying Starter Band which ran alongside the Playhouse Concert Band for a period of time, ending in 2007. This starter band presented the same kind of opportunities that Prelude aims to provide today.

Former Starter Band member and current APCB tuba player Andrew Buddle said: “I learnt trombone as a teenager but neglected music to pursue education and career opportunities.

"When I came to Alnwick in 1997, I decided to take out my trombone again and was recommended to join what was then the Alnwick Playhouse Starter Band – 27 years later, having moved from trombone through euphonium to tuba, I’ve had opportunities to play with bands all over the North East.

The first rehearsal of Prelude Concert Band will take place on January 12, but organisers stress that new members are welcome to join at any point in the year. Rehearsals will be held on Mondays from 6.30pm to 7.15pm on stage at the Alnwick Playhouse.

Anyone interested in joining or learning more about the band should email [email protected].