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This web site has been set up to give you all the latest news, concert dates, radio appearances and recordings relating to the band. Why not browse our recordings catalogue and purchase one of our quality CDs?

03 March 2009

Macbeth, no tragedy for Imps

Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band will be taking brass band music to the doyens of the avante garde art world over the next few months thanks to a collaborative project which Imps’ Musical Director, David Lancaster and the internationally renowned artist Rory Macbeth have undertaken in recent weeks.

Macbeth’s work is to form a key element in an exhibition called
Rank: Picturing the Social Order 1615-2009 which is to open in Leeds City Art Gallery from 14th Febuary to 26th April before moving on to Leipzig and Wiesbaden in Germany.
( http://www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery/Leeds_Art_Gallery/2009_Exhibitions.aspx )

Listeners to Radio 4’s arts programme Front Row may hear a review of the exhibition in the coming days and since the band is the only sonic event in the exhibition, Imps’ players are hoping their music gets used on air.

David Lancaster explained "the music is compiled from many sources, including several marches, some improvised sounds and a transcription I have made of the sound produced by the Mosquito device, a rather nasty piece of kit which emits very high pitched noises to keep ‘hoodies’ from congregating in shopping centres!"

The sound elements were recorded in Imps’ band room a few weeks ago in the presence of Rory Macbeth who was so enthusiastic about hearing the band in action and was clearly highly delighted with the band’s contribution.
Rory commented "the band sounded amazing, I’m so excited about it all now!"

According to David Lancaster, he wanted to be involved in this project in order to take the sound of the band in front of new audiences and into new and very different settings. He is hoping to develop other artistic collaborative projects in future.

David added "It is so good for the band members to be taken outside their comfort zone from time to time and so important for us to dismantle the barriers which keep brass band music separate from the other arts."

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REQUIRED: CORNETIST & PERCUSSIONIST
The Yorkshire Imperial Band have immediate vacancies for a cornet player and a first class percussionist to complete our line up.

The band is interested in "team" players who wish to commit to performing at the highest level with a professional "can do" attitude and a desire to excel both on the concert and contest platform. The band currently enjoys a near complete ensemble but now requires the above positions filled. Our goal is to recruit a team of committed quality players to contest, record and entertain at concerts up and down the country.

If you wish to play at the highest level, push yourself at every rehearsal, work hard away from the band room in your own time, improve but most of all have fun then please get in touch with the band.

All applications will be treated in strict confidence. The band usually rehearses on Monday and Thursday evenings between 8pm and 10pm, based in Methley, Leeds which is close to the M62 and M1. Directions available upon request.

Contact:
For more details contact our Player Manager, Laura Brown, in strict confidence,
E-mail: or Tel: 07596 964024

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