Brass For Africa Musicians From Uganda To Play Alongside World-Famous Trumpet Player Wynton Marsalis At The Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham, July 3, 2019 – Today Brass for Africa announced that it’s bringing some of its brightest talents from its programmes in Uganda to perform their brilliant, bold and beautiful brass music at Cheltenham Festival alongside world-famous trumpeter, composer, bandleader, educator and cultural advocate, Wynton Marsalis.

This is all part of a two-week cross-cultural, education residency arranged by the charity. In addition to performing at Cheltenham, the eleven players will carry their trumpets, trombones, tubas, cornets and drums, along with their extraordinary stories to the stage of legendary jazz venue Ronnie Scott's in London, now a partner of the charity.

“These young musicians are coming from some of the toughest parts of Uganda, to some of the biggest music stages in the world,” said Jim Trott, Founder of Brass for Africa. “They all work as music teachers of the organisation and are alumni of our programmes themselves. This is the first time these musicians have ever travelled outside of Africa and shared their music on a major stage. Performing with a world-class musician like Wynton is an incredible opportunity for them.”

This group is trying to inspire the next generation of musicians, teaching music in the youth rehabilitation centre and orphanages in some of the toughest and most impoverished areas in the world.

“For all of us, this is the chance of a lifetime,” said Gilbert, a 21-year-old trombone player and Music Teacher at Brass for Africa. “Many of us have never been on a plane before or even left the country. Now we will be performing on one of the biggest international music stages. We can’t wait to share our music and our stories with the people we meet.”

“I’m a big believer in the power of music to change lives,” said Alison Balsom, Trumpet Virtuoso and Patron of Brass for Africa. “The musicians from Brass for Africa bring a message of hope to everyone – that music can transform and unlock the impossible.”

Brass for Africa uses music as a tool to empower and transform the lives of more than 1,000 extremely disadvantaged children and young people in Uganda, Liberia and Rwanda every week. Working with local organizations, Brass for Africa provides weekly brass music education with integrated life-skills training alongside performance opportunities to young people from orphanages, street child centres and rehabilitation centres.

For more information, please visit: http://www.brassforafrica.org/.

About Brass for Africa

Brass for Africa’s mission is to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in Africa through music education and life-skills training. Founded in 2009, Brass for Africa uses music as a tool to empower and transform the lives of more than 1,000 extremely disadvantaged children and young people in Uganda, Liberia and Rwanda every week. Working with local organizations, Brass for Africa provides weekly brass music education with integrated life-skills training alongside performance opportunities to young people from orphanages, slum communities, Street Child Centres and Rehabilitation Centres. The charity also provides employment opportunities and training for more than 40 African staff, who help lead the charity’s efforts on the ground. To learn visit: http://www.brassforafrica.org or follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/brassforafrica

Contact

For media inquiries: Andrea Berbegal, andrea@brassforafrica.org

For partnership inquiries: info@brassforafrica.org