Senior School news

Philip Varley receives Best Instrumentalist prize for third year running at the National Brass Band Championships»
28/04/2010



Philip Varley, an Upper Sixth Form student at Hipperholme Grammar School was celebrating earlier this month after being crowned “Best Instrumentalist” for the 3rd time at the National Youth Brass Band Championships.  Philip plays principal cornet for Elland Silver Youth Band and was instrumental in helping the band win the Intermediate competition at the championships which were held at the Royal Northern College of Music Theatre in Manchester on 18th April. 

The band had to fight off stiff competition from fourteen challengers to become Intermediate Champions.  All competing bands had to perform Ray Farr’s Adventures in Brass as part of their 20 minute programme which was a piece that asked searching questions of youthful technique and musicality.  They have achieved a 2010 “double” after recently being announced as champions of the Action Medical Research Entertainment Contest which took place in Blackpool on 14th February. 

Philip who is studying Maths, History and Physics was recently talented spotted by music website, 4barsrest.com.  They spotted his potential at the 2009 National Championships and described him as “one of the rising stars of the Yorkshire banding scene”.  Philip hopes to go on to university and whilst he doesn’t want to become a professional trumpet player, his ambition is to be good enough to play for the famous Black Dyke Band one day.