Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Rob Bushnell, 20, is studying at Leeds for a degree in Mathematics and music. Originally from Portsmouth, Hampshire he plays the cornet and currently is the band's conductor.

"There is an awful lot of brass band music played at universities. Most of our players in Leeds have already played in a brass band and are proficient players. However, some have not played before coming to university and have learnt with us.

The band entertain on Briggate

"I hope the university brass band changes the usual notion that every student only gets drunk and wastes money, a lot of students get involved in useful extra-curricular activities.

"With our 35 members we produce concerts and have a weekly practice session. We also take part, as a band, in the Whit Friday March Contest around Saddleworth. Our brass band players are all students. We also sometimes bring in ex-students or players from local bands if we are missing a particular part.

"Instruments can be fairly expensive and the society or university doesn't provide them, but we do what we can to help and by sharing spare instruments we get by."

Rob and managers Tracey Colston and Hannah Cooke administer the band, and the University of Leeds hosts the sixth annual Festival of Brass in February 2009. Alongside the University of Leeds band will be the brass bands from Durham and Warwick universities.

All three bands will play their own programme before coming together as a massed brass band of around 100 players.

Festival of Brass is at University of Leeds, Great Hall, at 7.30pm on Saturday 7 February 2009. Tickets and info from luumsbb@gmail.com

The Music Society at the university consists of eight separate ensembles:

Symphony Orchestra
Sinfonia
Chamber Orchestra
Wind Band
LUUMS Choir
Symphonic Wind Orchestra
Chamber Choir
Brass Band.