MUSICIANS from Smithills School and Bolton College are set to appear in London in November by Royal Appointment.

They will be appearing before Prince Charles and, not content with simply blowing their own trumpet, their musical director, Chris Wormald, has been asked to compose a fanfare especially for the occasion.

The occasion is the Royal Albert Hall Youth Promenade Concerts which run for three nights in November.

Smithills Brass Band has been invited to perform in the middle of the three nights, November 9 - the very one that the Prince of Wales has chosen to attend.

Not only will the Smithills musicians perform on stage for the Prince, but they will also be introduced to him after the performance.

Chris said: "Smithills is very proud to be the sole representative from Lancashire or Greater Manchester in the whole event."

He added: "Organisers music for Youth have asked me to compose a fanfare especially for the occasion which I am thrilled about.

"The performance by Smithills that evening in London will already include the premiere of my very latest composition, Saecula Nova (New Centuries), which I have written to celebrate the coming of the Millennium."

In addition, Chris has also been asked to do arrangements of Copland's Fanfare for a Common Man, Ravel's Bolero, and a new cornet solo yet to be chosen, featuring Smithills' principal cornet player, Lynsey Hayes, 17.

The band will open the Royal Albert Hall concert with Fanfare for the Common Man, and will then perform as the first ensemble after the concert interval.

This latest appearance at the Royal Albert Hall will be the band's fourth in London this year. And the musicians will not have to wait long for their first appearance in the capital next year. The Senior Brass Band performs on February 6 at the Child of Achievement Millennium Competition.

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