Following the success of our Big String project, The Big Blast was formed last year when young wind players produced a recording. A large-scale live concert was impossible, due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic. This year, we were able to meet in larger numbers and enjoy playing live music together.

A full photo gallery will be available on The Big Blast page. Photographs by Steve Green.

Forty-four young players aged from 5 to 18, from grade 1 to post grade 8 worked together for two days on Ennio Morricone’s Once Upon a Fist Full of Good and Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass, both arranged for us by Paul Denegri. The project was based at Dean Close School for the first day and then moved to Blackfriars Priory for the second day where they performed to over 100 people. The children were supported by tutors from Gloucestershire Academy of Music, The Flowers Band and Make Music Gloucestershire, led by conductor Hannah Opstad.