Neil Brand with Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band; A new commission

YSFF announces a new commission for 2022/3; Echoes of the North; A Trip Back in Time is a film about the North of England, made up entirely of archive film material shot before the arrival of sound, with a new score composed by Neil Brand and played live by the world-famous Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band.

An unprecedented collaboration between Yorkshire Film Archive, Northwest Film Archive, Northeast Film Archive, and London’s Archive Film Agency, and edited by Andy Burns, Echoes of the North; A Trip Back in Time will take its audiences down the highways and byways of early 20th century Northern England: its industries and rural life, its wartimes and festivals, its transport, holidays, family excursions and huge, city-wide occasions. 

Acclaimed composer/writer/broadcaster Neil Brand brings his unique touch with silent film to this exciting project, breathing new life into these rare and evocative  images with his first all-brass soundtrack. The Winter 2022 premiere performance will be given by one of the world’s finest brass bands, West Yorkshire’s Brighouse and Rastrick.

Neil Brand said: If ever a marriage of two art forms was long overdue, it is this coming together of silent film and Brass Band music. The wonderful, resonant images of people going about their lives, work, play and conflict in the first 30 years of the last century spring to life with the timeless beauty of the brass band sound, music that evolves and matches every contrasting mood for us today, just as it could have done when these scenes were shot. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to create scores for these images, and to work with one of the greatest bands in the world. This will be a VERY special event, possibly the first of its kind!

Jonny Best, Artistic Director of YSFF said: YSFF audiences have enjoyed Neil’s regular piano performances as well as the premieres of his chamber orchestra scores for The Lodger and Oliver Twist. I’m really pleased to be commissioning a new work from Neil for the first time, and grateful to PRS Foundation and Arts Council England whose funding has made this possible. 

The premiere performance will take place this Winter, with further performances in 2023. Details will be announced in July. 

Echoes of the North; A Trip Back in Time is supported by PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund For Organisations and Arts Council England.