Manx Youth Band

The Manx Youth Band was founded by the late T J "Jim" Crosbie, M.B.E., in 1970. The Band has a reputation for excellence, as shown by its success in past Manx Music Festivals and various off-Island contests, the highlight of these being the winning of the Daily Mirror Challenge Trophy at Belle Vue, Manchester in 1978. The Manx Youth Band has performed with some of the greatest names in the classical music and entertainment worlds including Roy Castle, Ted Heath, John Ogden as well as a number of military bands including the Bands of the Scots Guards, Royal Marines and Royal Artillery. The Band has made several continental tours, notably to Norway (1975), Switzerland (1981), West Berlin (1984), Holland (1980 & 1988) and the Czech Republic in 1998. In October 1999 the Band travelled to Waterford in Southern Ireland as guests of the City of Waterford Band and in August 2001 the Youth Band and Manx Concert Brass undertook a Concert Tour of Northern Italy, the first time a combined tour has been undertaken. The most ambitious tour however, was undertaken in 1990 when the Band carried out a concert tour of the North Island of New Zealand for 3 weeks. The Manx Youth Band has also performed for members of the Royal Family including Her Majesty the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at a private luncheon during their visit to the Island in 1989. The Band can boast 5 winners of the prestigious bi-annual competition, Young Musician of Mann including the very first winner, Jonathan Kneale back in 1983. In addition to the players you see on stage each year, the band includes a large junior and learner section. This year members of the band enjoyed great exam success with the Associated Board. with 15 of them achieving merit or distinction at grades 1 to 5. In 1995, its 25th Anniversary year, the Manx Youth Band Organisation formed Manx Concert Brass, a new band whose membership was not restricted by age. This allowed the Manx Youth Band to be restructured as a 'proper' Youth Band, with an upper age limit of 19 years, thus providing greater opportunity for younger players than had been offered previously.