GALSI COURSE 2024

Join us for the Gender and the Large and Shiny Instruments young persons’ brass and
percussion course on Tuesday 29th & Wednesday 30th October, 10.30 - 16.30, presented in partnership with the Royal College of Music, London.

WHO IS IT FOR?: This two day course is open to anyone who plays a brass instrument or percussion/drumkit, is from age 8 - 25 years old, and identifies as female or non-binary. Expect a fun and interactive course that celebrates playing large and shiny instruments!

TUTORS: The course is being led by brass and percussion tutors who are leaders within the
profession including trombonist Becky Smith, tuba player Hanna Mbuya, trumpeter Vic Isfryn, and percussionists Beibei Wang and Kizzy Brooks (scroll down for more info!)

ACTIVITIES: The participants will be split into junior, intermediate and senior ensembles. The junior and intermediate groups will learn new skills on their instruments, devise their own piece, and work on an ensemble piece for a final performance at the end of the two days. The senior group have the opportunity to take part in a masterclass, play a solo at the performance, take part in panels and discussions about working in the music industry, and act as mentors to the junior group - finishing by playing side-by-side in big piece all together!

NEW FOR 2024: Due to high demand, we have added a third brass group - intermediate brass!
There will also be an (optional) evening performance on the first day at 6:30pm by the fabulous trombone quartet Bones Apart.

REQUIRED STANDARD: This course is designed for a range of standards: for the junior group participants should have been playing their instrument for at least a year, and have their own instrument for the brass players, or sticks for the percussionists.
The senior group is appropriate for students Grade 6+ through conservatoire level, and those who are interested in having a career in music.

SIGN UP: If you would like to sign up yourself or for your child, please book your place via the RCM website.
The deadline for sign up is 15th October. For queries about registration or payment please contact the RCM Sparks team directly: sparks@rcm.ac.uk

Note: participants must be available for both days of the course.

COST: £80 for the two days. There are also some subsidised places available - details are on the booking page of the RCM website.

TRAVEL BURSARIES: We have travel and accommodation bursaries available of up to £400 for participants traveling from outside of London & home counties. If you would like to apply for this please send us an email telling us a bit about yourself, where you live, and your estimated costs.
(NB Our funding dictates that you must travel via public transport if you are able to.)
largeandshiny@gmail.com

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Tuesday 29th finishes at 4:30pm with the option to return for the 6:30pm concert with trombone quartet Bones Apart.
On Wednesday 30th our concert for friends and family will be from 3:45pm to about 4:45pm.

The GALSI course has been supported in-kind by the Royal College of Music and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Thank you for creating such a wonderful space to play music at all levels and to have important, supportive conversations. I really enjoyed the course and felt like I was a part of something really important and special. Also, a huge thanks for making the course such an inclusive space. Coming into unknown situations as a disabled person can be really challenging and scary but all the staff and tutors were so kind and patient - I felt so comfortable and like I was no different to anyone else.

Meet the Tutors

Senior Percussion

Beibei Wang

With her background in both Classical and traditional Chinese percussion, Beibei Wang brings her characteristic “high energy virtuosity” (Wall Street Journal) to performances of diverse repertoire.

As a soloist, she has performed around the world with orchestras such as BBC Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, New Japan Philharmonic, and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and has appeared as soloist on the world’s most prestigious stages.

Her unique background in classical and world music styles brings her to a range of multi-disciplinary projects ranging from performances of contemporary classics and new commissions to international tours with dance productions.

In addition to performance, Beibei enjoys teaching Chinese percussion workshops at school and universities across the country.

http://www.beibeimusic.com/

Senior Brass

Becky Smith

Becky is Principal Trombone of the English National Opera, and previously held the position of Sub-Principal Trombone of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Born in Cambridge, Becky studied the trombone with Christopher Mowat, and euphonium with John Clark at the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama from the age of 12 to 18. During this time she was also a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.

In 1998 Becky gained a scholarship for a place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and whilst studying there won the 2002 Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition Brass Prize, the Leggett Award, Terence Nagle Award and the Harry Mortimer Award. Becky is a founder member of Bones Apart.

She enjoys a busy freelance career performing with many of the UK’s orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Philharmonia, City of London Sinfonia, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and all the BBC Orchestras.

Junior Percussion

Kizzy Brooks

Kizzy is the Co-Founder of PercWorks, the UK’s leading Online Education Platform for percussionists, with 1750+ participants and an audience of 20000 in the first year.

Kizzy regularly performs with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, English National Ballet Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. She is also a passionate educator and tutor for the National Youth Orchestra and National Children’s Orchestra as well as holding teaching positions at the Royal Academy Academy of Music, Wells Cathedral School and Benenden school. Kizzy has recently led classes at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and The Purcell School.

Kizzy has also recently released her second album with her band The Burning Glass, which has been featured on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Introducing.

https://www.percworks.co.uk/

Junior Brass

Hanna Mbuya

Hanna Mbuya is a London-based tuba player, composer and arranger active within the classical and improvised music circuits. Within the classical realm, she performs as a member of Chineke! Orchestra, and freelances as an orchestral and chamber player around the UK. Beyond this, she performs as a member of Mercury Award-nominated 10-piece band seed. and the Nu Civilisation Orchestra. Other collaborations include artists & projects such as Anna Meredith’s Band, Jon Batiste, Soweto Kinch’s Black Peril, Jason Moran’s Harlem Hellfighters,
Lafawndah’s Fifth Season and Peter Wiegold’s Third Orchestra, in addition to appearances with horn sections alongside artists including Solange, Arlo Parks and Joy Anonymous. Her work in
theatre includes Richard III (2024), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2023) and I, Joan (2022) at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Hanna is a graduate of the Royal College of Music and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance.

Intermediate Brass

Vic Isfryn

Vic is a highly accomplished professional musician with a distinguished career in both classical and contemporary music. A graduate of Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music, Vic has established themselves as a versatile performer, collaborating with renowned orchestras and artists across the UK and internationally.

Early in their career, Vic honed their craft by performing with leading orchestras such as The Hallé and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO). This has led to collaborations with a diverse range of artists, including Sam Ryder, Rod Stewart and many more. Vic has performed on many TV shows, including Songs of Praise, Strictly, and BBC Music awards. Additionally, Vic has made their mark in the world of musical theatre performing in acclaimed productions such as Wicked, Miss Saigon, Evita, and Funny Girl. Notably, they held the chair for the touring production of Astley’s Astounding Adventures, solidifying their reputation as a sought-after performer.

In recent years, Vic has expanded their career to include international pop tours and high-profile performances. Currently working with the acclaimed artist Becky Hill, a tour that has taken them around the world. Their performances have spanned across Australia, the Cayman Islands, Europe, and beyond, playing at iconic venues and festivals. In 2023, they took to the stage at Glastonbury Festival on The Other Stage, and also performed at some of the UK’s most legendary venues, including Wembley Arena, the O2 Arena, and Wembley Stadium.

Looking ahead, Vic continues to build on their success. In October of this year, they will embark on a UK arena tour followed by an exciting tour of the United States, further cementing their status as a dynamic and versatile performer in both classical and contemporary music spheres.