2,012 Together - We Did It!

Press release by British Federation of Youth Marching Band Organisations

We did it ! 2,012 young people played live music with marching youth bands on Saturday 24th July at as part of Olympic Open Weekend. 

From Sheffield to Somerset ,the Isle of Wight to the Wirral, and from Prestatyn to Poole, marching youth bands all over the country rose to the challenge.

On what was probably the toughest weekend of the year for bands because of the start of school holidays, small and large ensembles played to thousands of people. Many bands used ‘hands on’ workshops to recruit – and several reported potential new music makers, with one reckoning they will welcome 17 new members into their next rehearsal.

As one long-time leader said “Marching Youth Music Month and its finale this year - 2,012 Together- are great opportunities offered by The Federation that are ‘hooks’ which bands can exploit to their own advantage, as there are all too few opportunities nowadays for us to appear in front of the general public and excite youngsters to join”

As photos come in, we will post on the Federation’s Web site – some are already on London 2012’s Open Weekend facebook site - www.facebook.com/london2012openweekend

The Federation’s next project is ‘Band GB’ – a 100 strong combined band for London’s 25th Anniversary New Years Day Parade.



25th July 2010