Musica Youth Jazz at the Royal Albert Hall!

Kirklees based Musica Youth Jazz (MYJ) performed at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday, November 5, in the culmination of a year’s worth of musical celebrations that form the Music for Youth (MfY) Festival.

The jazz ensemble performed Concerto for Trumpet by Harry James and arranged by one of their own players, Christie Smith, and Orange Colored Sky.

This was the first time that MYJ has been asked to take part in the closing stages of the Festival, although they have performed at the regional finals in Birmingham on many occasions.

More than 40,000 young people from all corners of the country take part in the annual Festival.  After the local auditions, selected groups are invited to regional finals.  Just 33 groups make it through to the Music for Youth Proms, with the opportunity to play on the main stage at the Royal Albert Hall on one of three nights.

The MYJ musicians range in age from 12 to 19 years old and come from all over Kirklees.  They rehearse once a week in Huddersfield and perform throughout the year at a variety of gigs and festivals, including the Marsden Jazz Festival several weeks ago.

Thom Meredith, Principal, Musica Kirklees said: “It is a tremendous honour to be asked to represent our area and one which, having heard Musica Youth Jazz on stage in Birmingham, I believe they thoroughly deserve. It is a recognition of the hard work that they have put in and also the way they work together to create vibrant and compelling performances."

Congratulations to all the magnificent musicians of MYJ and to the ensemble's Leaders, Mr Kingham and Mr Bradnum!

Here's just a snippet of the spectacular concert: the Finale, featuring all the evening's young performers -