Smithills School Senior Brass Band and conductor Chris Wormald have just returned from a triumphant tour to Belgium, where they gave a series of outstanding concerts in Bruges, Ostend and De Panne.

Led by Principal Cornet player Phoebe Matthews (18), the band performed repertoire from Star Wars, James Bond, Pirates of The Caribbean and the Belgian National Anthem at every concert, with concert marches and other pieces changing from concert to concert, all to rapturous ovations.

Principal Tuba player Lee Hemmings (16) who has toured America and Disneyland Paris twice with Smithills in the past three years described the final Ostend concert as “absolutely brilliant” and in spite of his excellent American and French tours with Smithills regards this latest tour to Belgium as “The best tour I’ve been on. It was fantastic.”

Chris Wornald commented “The players were as phenomenal as ever both on stage and off. Their playing, attitude and behaviour were literally perfect from the start of the tour until we arrived home and not a single member of staff had to tell off anyone for any reason at all. Incredible though that may sound, it’s the absolute truth. I can completely understand why many of the players think it was their best ever tour.”

The Smithills musicians can next be heard in concert on Wednesday of next week, July 12th, in the annual Smithills School Summer Concert at 7.30pm.