Archived News Stories
Brassed On! York's New Brass Music Festival
The Band is taking part in this new festival in May. Please visit the Brassed On! website for all the details.
Congratulations Jack!
Jack Capstaff has been selected as one of four teenagers to sit on the Youth Adjudication Panel for the Fourth Section contest at the Yorkshire Regional Championships in March.
The Yorkshire Regional Committee work in partnership with 4Barsrest.com and the British Bandsman magazine to enable four aspiring judges the opportunity to test their adjudicating skills at the contest. Jack Capstaff will test his adjudication skills on Philip Sparke's 'Saint-Saens Variations'.
The quartet will meet up with Philip and fellow adjudicator Steve Pritchard-Jones before the contest. Both judges will talk about the piece and what they will be looking out for from the 12 competing bands on the Sunday as well as offering invaluable insights and advice to help them on the day.
This a great honour for Jack and no doubt will be a huge learning experience.
For more information follow this link.
New Year 2010
A big welcome to Jack Capstaff and Rob Webb (Front Row Cornets) and Mollie Renshaw (1st Horn) who have recently signed for York R I - all fine young players who are a great asset to the band. We also welcome the hugely experienced bass player Stuart Creighton (BBb Bass) who will be helping us out through to the Area Contest. We now have a full team and are working hard towards the big day in Darlington on Sunday 21st March.
Musical Director
We are pleased to announce that Gordon Eddison has been appointed to the position of Musical Director. Gordon has a wealth of experience, having played with some of the county's top Brass Bands including Black Dyke, Yorkshire Building Society/Hammonds Sauce Works Band, Carlton Main Colliery, etc. Gordon is a peripatetic brass teacher with Education Leeds Music Service. Read more about Gordon here.
Malton Brass '09
Well, we've gone one better than last year and come away with SECOND PRIZE in Class "A" at the Malton Brass '09 Contest, just beaten by Championship Section Kirkbymoorside Town. Well done to all the players and conductor David Lancaster.
We included in our programme the newly-commissioned piece 'East Coast Tracks' written by David and being given only its second public performance.
Announcement - Musical Director
York Railway Institute Band would like to thank Derek Warley for his work as Musical Director over many years and wish him all the best for the future. We are pleased to announce that David Lancaster will conduct the Band at the Malton Entertainment Contest on Sunday 1 November 2009.
Yorkshire Day - 1st August 2009
Well Yorkshire Day came and went and unfortunately not a note was played by the Band in Parliament Street...rain stopped play. Let's hope for better luck next year.
Image of the Flag of Yorkshire from Wikipedia.
New Music
The band has secured funding from the City of York Council to commission a piece of music from the highly regarded composer Mr David Lancaster. The music will be premiered later in the year at a prestigious concert at York Theatre Royal and will celebrate the history and heritage of the railways in York.
Otley 'Mayor's Challenge' Brass Band Festival
We received an invitation to the very first 'Mayor's Challenge', held in Otley Civic Centre on Sunday 26th April 2009. The format of this new festival is an entertainment contest, with each band playing a 30 minute programme. We had drawn to play first (and wondered if this was a jinx after the Area Contest), followed by the other competing bands Garforth Band and Otley Brass Band. The adjudicator was Mr David Horsfield and we were delighted to be placed first, winning the Mayor's Challenge Trophy. Our principal solo cornet player, Sam Lovatt, was awarded the Chris Bailey Trophy for Outstanding Instrumentalist. The whole event was very well organised and we look forward to being invited back in future years.
NYBB 2009
Congratulations to our Principal Solo Cornet player, Sam Lovatt, who is a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain for 2009. Well done, Sam!
Wedding, Friday 27th March 2009
David Bancroft (baritone) asked if a small band could play for the wedding of his daughter, Louise, in Copmanthorpe Church. Louise's brother Nigel managed to get away from his usher's duties for a few minutes to make a guest appearance on the drums!
Regionals, 22nd March 2009
Not the result we'd hoped for from the number one draw. On the day, we thought we gave a creditable performance of New World Sketches by Dan Price, but adjudicator Richard Evans could only place us sixth.
York Theatre Royal, 25th October 2008
We gave a concert at York Theatre Royal, arranged during York Opera's production of Yeomen of the Guard. During the concert,
we were presented with a donation by Philip Taylor from York Co-operative Funeralcare. This enabled us to purchase a set of
timpani, which were already being put to good use during the concert.

