Young Teesdale musician chosen to perform on the national stage (From The Advertiser Series)

Young Teesdale musician chosen to perform on the national stage

11:17am Saturday 16th March 2013 in News By Stuart Laundy, Reporter (Barnard Castle & Teesdale)

A TEESDALE teenager is making a big noise in the brass band world.

Matthew Littlefair, deputy head boy at Staindrop Academy, has been selected to play with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain (NYBBGB).

The 16-year-old farmer's son plays the euphonium. He has performed with a number of local brass bands, including Barnard Castle and Middleton and Teesdale Silver Band, and is a member of the Grimethorpe Colliery Youth Band.

Matthew will meet his fellow NYBBGB musicians at a week-long residential course in Taunton, Somerset, at Easter.

The national band will then play at events in Weston Super Mare, Bristol, Darlington and Harrogate during the coming months and Matthew will also attend a summer course in August.

Matthew started playing the euphonium aged nine.

“The tone of it is different to any other type of instrument. It also takes a lot of strength to play it,” he said.

He secured his place in the NYBBGB after a successful audition at Sunderland University and has now set about raising £1,000 to cover the cost of attending the two residential courses with the national band.

Matthew has organised a lunchtime concert at Staindrop School on Thursday, March 28, from 12.30pm to 1.15pm, when he will give a recital, accompanied on piano by his music teacher Mike Priestley.

Mr Priestly said Matthew had made real strides as a euphonium player and deserved his chance to play with the NYBBGB.

“I am sure he will get a great deal from this exciting experience,” he said.