Teen discovers where there's pluck there's brass

BRASS: Josh Ingle of Masterton was selected to be a percussionist in the 2016 National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand.PHOTO/MAREE MCLEOD

Masterton teen Josh Ingle has been selected to play percussion for the National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand.

The former Chanel College student, who is a member of the Masterton District Brass Band, has been reading drum music for three years, and playing percussion and drum kits for seven. He also plays the euphonium.

"I had to audition for it a few months ago and I didn't think I'd get in because it's obviously such a big thing," Mr Ingle said.

"I thought, at least I tried. Then I saw the list and I saw my name, and I was quite surprised and happy with myself."

He said his selection gave him the opportunity to perform at four concerts around the top of the North Island in January.

He was the only person from Wairarapa this year to be selected for membership and said he was excited about meeting like-minded people and "having good conversations and making good lifelong friends in the advanced brass band world".

Fellow member of Masterton District Brass Band Maree McLeod said Mr Ingle's selection for the National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand was a "huge" achievement for any young band member and the band was proud of him. "Josh is an excellent percussionist, and has also been learning the euphonium - jumping in to play if there aren't any percussion parts. At our recent Last Night of the Proms concerts, we premiered one of his own compositions for brass band, Heroic Knight, which was very well received by the audience."