Brighouse commuters will get a rousing wake up call on Tuesday when Yorkshire’s biggest music contest launches.
Wardle Academy Band will treat lucky train travellers to an early morning concert when they strike up a chord on the platform before getting aboard the 07:19am train to Kings Cross.
The light-hearted event will mark the countdown to the well-respected contest, which for the first time this year will take place at two venues across Yorkshire, due to a boom in demand.
Holme Valley man, Alex Bray, 24, dreamt up the event in 2010, to provide a platform for the very best young brass talent in the county.
Alex hopes that the offbeat concert will encourage more people to buy tickets to see the shows, which will take place not just at Holmfirth Picturedrome on November 15 but at the Engine Shed in Wetherby on November 1.
The performance was given full steam ahead by Grand Central, who are sponsoring this year’s events.
Alex said: “I’m extremely excited about this opportunity as we begin the run down to Brass Factor 2014.
“It’s brilliant that we get this unique opportunity to not only launch Brass Factor but to help showcase both the wonderful talents of the Wardle Academy and the brilliant service that our sponsor, Grand Central brings to the community.
“We’re delighted that Grand Central are sponsoring Brass Factor for the fourth consecutive year- it demonstrates their commitment to music and youth brass.
“Having started it four years ago as simply a university project, I could never have dreamed that it would have got to this stage and become so popular.
“Brass Factor is about providing a platform where grass-roots musicians are stepping on stage and showcasing their musical talents to a wide audience.
“The move to a much larger venue in Wetherby has really emphasised how far we’ve come and hopefully this will be another stepping stone to further growth”.
Money raised will be split between Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and Martin House Children’s Hospice.”
Wardle Academy band conductor, Gwen Smith, said: “We are really excited about being involved with this year’s Brass Factor and the great experiences that this is creating for our young musicians.
“It will be brilliant to perform and to watch musicians with much more experience will be even more fantastic. I’m delighted that such a young band can go along to the Brass Factor and gain valuable experience and we are looking forward to playing an entertaining programme.”
For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, which cost £10 in advance, click here.
