Rushen Silver Band is set to host a concert featuring performances by the band and its youth ensemble, Ballafesson Brass.

The event will be conducted by renowned brass band figure Alan Fernie, who will be visiting the Isle of Man as a guest conductor for the occasion.

The concert will take place at Rushen Primary School on Saturday, October 18 at 3pm. Admission is free, with a retiring collection in aid of band funds.

It will mark the culmination of a weekend of intensive rehearsals led by Mr Fernie, who has previously worked with the band and is known for his strong ties to the brass band community.

Over the three days leading up to the performance, he will work closely with both Rushen Silver Band and Ballafesson Brass to develop technique and musicality, continuing the educational work carried out regularly by the band’s in-house tutors.

The event also coincides with the release of the band’s fourth CD, ‘Celtic Connection’.

The album features a selection of music from the Isle of Man and other Celtic nations, highlighting the shared musical heritage between the countries. Several of the pieces included on the CD have been composed or arranged by Mr Fernie himself, including ‘An Island Journey’, a work written specifically for the band.

Additional contributions to the CD come from musical director John Kinley and principal cornet Ashley Cole, whose arrangements of traditional Manx tunes feature prominently on the recording.

Popular Celtic pieces such as ‘Highland Cathedral’, ‘Lark in the Clear Air’, and the Welsh hymn ‘David of the White Rock’ are also included, showcasing the band’s wide-ranging repertoire and musical ability.

The new CD will be available for purchase at the concert, priced at £12.50. Following the launch, it will also be sold online through the band’s Facebook page, both as a physical copy and a digital download.

Band chairman, Chris Weldon, commented: ‘Weekends with visiting conductors are a really important development opportunity for both bands.

‘It gives us a chance to get an external view of what we are doing, and learn from some of the best in the UK brass band world.

‘Joint concerts with Rushen Silver Band and Ballafesson Brass are also a highlight of the year, giving younger players a chance to play with the more experienced ones, and showing the older players the pipeline of talent that the band is developing.’

Musical director, John Kinley, added: ‘The recording of the band’s fourth CD is a milestone of the band’s continued progress.

‘The quality of the music is excellent, and it shows what a local community band can do.

‘It is particularly pleasing that this recording, with its Celtic Connection, features a number of local works, including some of those of our principal cornet Ashley Cole and my own pieces.’

The band acknowledged support from the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, which contributed to Mr Fernie’s travel through the Manx Community Assistance Fund.

More information about Rushen Silver Band, including upcoming events and CD sales, can be found at http://www.rushensilverband.org.im/ and on their Facebook page.