Take 25 young brass

instrument players from Kirklees and put them on stage with a

company of French circus skills performers and what do you get?

The answer is Opus 7 – an unusual and highly creative show from Circus Evolution, an Arts Council project bringing high-quality contemporary circus skills to English audiences.

For the members of Kirklees Youth Brass Band taking part in the show when it comes to the Lawrence Batley Theatre (later this month, February), it will be a novel experience.

As the band’s conductor and leader Alex Kenyon says: “Generally we get asked to perform with choirs or other ensembles but this is completely out of our comfort zone. Not only do the band members have to read music they have been taught to respond to hand signals and improvise.

“Some of the youngest players are only nine-years-old and have only been playing for about a year.”

The Circus Evolution company, Circa Tsuica, sent its musical director Camille Secheppet to the Lawrence Batley Theatre before Christmas in order to begin rehearsals with the youngsters.

He taught them a ‘sound painting’ technique of improvisation, which, Alex says, requires the children to react very quickly to the hand signals.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the band and the tutors involved,” she added, “because they have learned a whole new set of skills. It’s also a great way to engage people with brass instruments. As soon as I heard about it I wanted to be part of this”. She will be playing the euphonium.

The brass band will play alongside the Circus Tsuica acrobats, who also have brass instruments, in a show that couples physical feats with jazz and world music.

As Alex points out, Huddersfield is in the heartland of brass bands and so there was no problem in finding young musicians capable of performing. However, in two of the nine venues that Circus Tsuica will be touring no band came forward to join the performers on stage.

The performance promises to showcase brass instruments in a new and contemporary way.

Alex says this is important for the future of brass. “If brass bands don’t move with the times they will be left behind,” she explained.

Circus Tsuica’ Opus 7 is at the Lawrence Batley Theatre on February 28 and 29.

Tickets are £10 and £14 from www.thelbt.org.uk or 01484 430528. There will be a post-show discussion on Sunday, February 28.