PARA Band gives youth band insight into military music, February 2016.

The Band of The Parachute Regiment hosted some 50 members of Brentwood Imperial Youth Band for a musical masterclass at Merville Barracks in Colchester. As well as playing together, the two bands took to the parade square to practise their marching.

The aim of the event, held on Friday (18 Feb), was to give the young musicians a chance to experience a day in the life of a Corps of Army Music (CAMUS) band.

Johnpaul Wyndham, band director of Brentwood Imperial Youth Band, said: “This has been a unique experience that has given our young people the chance to work with professional military musicians. Our clarinet section is playing with their clarinet section and being coached, and it’s the same across all instruments.

“Over the last few months the PARA Band has sent musicians down to play with us at our rehearsals and this is taking our relationship to the next level. The soldiers have been great at engaging with our young musicians and there’s been a really inspiring atmosphere everytime we’ve worked together.”

PARA Band bandmaster Colour Sergeant Jon Rockey said he was “very impressed” by the standard of the young musicians, who ranged in age from 10 to 17 years old. “It could be quite an intimidating for a 10-year-old to step out on a parade square and play with a military band, but they’ve taken it in their stride,” he said. “I hope all of the young people have enjoyed the experience of working with us and gone away with an idea of the importance of music in the military.”