Stewarton Academy's Senior Wind Ensemble picked up a another gold award at the Scottish Concert Band Festival held at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow on Sunday 6 December. This follows their success at the National Concert Band Festival last month.

Under the direction of conductor, Alan Friel, the band played Encanto by Robert W Smith, Ballad for Benny by Philip Sparke and At Dawn They Slept by Jay Bocook. Their Gold Award entitles them to a place in the Scottish Concert Band Festival finals which take place on Sunday 21 March 2010, also at the RSAMD.

The band continue to practise two mornings a week at Stewarton Academy and are now preparing for the Stewarton Academy Christmas Concert which takes place in the school gym hall on Thursday 17 December.

The Stewarton Learning Partnership Bands, which includes the primary bands, the Junior Wind Ensemble and the Senior Wind Ensemble, are funded through East Ayrshire Instrumental Services but this budget is supplemented by voluntary contributions from families and friends of the band through the Stewarton Bands Support Group. This extra funding enables a greater number of children to benefit from the benefit of this music experience. You can find out more about the group and how you can support the Stewarton school bands by visiting the SBSGroup website.