David selected for National Youth Brass Band of Wales

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor student David Bisseker has been selected for the National Youth Brass Band of Wales.

David, from Harlech, will play the trumpet in the band. He was one of around 50 successful applicants, chosen from more than 300 who auditioned across the country.

Band members will attend rehearsals in March, before playing a residency at Bangor University in July. The band will also play concerts at Prichard Jones Hall, Bangor on July 26, St David’s Cathedral on July 27, and The Great Hall in Swansea on July 28.

David, who studies Music and History A-levels at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s Pwllheli campus, is excited at the prospect of playing in the band.

“I didn’t really go to the audition expecting to be awarded a place, so it’s a fantastic opportunity,” he said.

David, 17, is the sub-principal cornet player in the Royal Oakeley Silver Band, based in Blaenau Ffestiniog, and hopes to compete in the Welsh Championship with them in March. He is also the principal cornet player in the Gwynedd a Môn Brass Band.

He has played the trumpet and the cornet for 12 years, has achieved Grade 8 Distinction on the trumpet and is now working towards his Diploma.

The talented teenager is also studying Grade 8 piano, and has taught himself to play the organ. He plays every Sunday at St Tanwg's Church in Harlech and St Mary's church in Llanfair, also doing weddings and funerals.

David said: “When I was six, my mum gave me the opportunity to learn different instruments, such as the cornet and the piano, and ever since then, I absolutely love playing them.

“I started to play the organ when I was about 10 years old, which started when the vicar at the time asked me if I wanted to have a go. Since then, I've thoroughly enjoyed playing it and have taught myself.”

David hopes to forge a career in music, and has applied to study a Degree in Music at Bangor University from next September.

Gwenno Pritchard, A-level Music lecturer at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, said: “David is an enthusiastic and musical student. He works hard on his performance and last year passed his Grade 8 with distinction.

“Being part of the Welsh Youth Brass Band will be an unforgettable experience for him and I'm sure he will enjoy it very much.”

The National Youth Brass Band of Wales (NYBBW) has provided young musicians with first-class training and performance opportunities since it was established in 1982. Members are drawn from across Wales and are auditioned annually in centres across the country.

For more information, visit the band’s page on the National Youth Arts Wales website.

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