A HIGHLY respected brass musician who played principal euphonium for the Grimethorpe Colliery Band will be one of the star attractions at Bandfest in Elsecar tomorrow.

Bandfest is a festival of brass and wind band music featuring five bands which has been held at Elsecar Heritage Centre every year since 1997, organised by Barnsley Metropolitan Band.

Michael Dodd, who stepped down from Grimethorpe Colliery Band earlier this year after 20 years as principal euphonium, joins Barnsley Metropolitan Band as guest soloist where he will perform four of his trademark features with the band, as well as a special duet feature with the band’s 12-year-old euphonium player Finlay Spencer, a pupil at Netherwood school.

Conductor of the band Alex Francis said: “Michael is a former Willowgarth pupil, who actually played for our band in the 1980s before heading to Grimethorpe.

“He’s won lots of individual prizes and awards for his performances, for some of the same solos he will be performing with us at Bandfest.

“And he’s won just about every trophy there is with Grimethorpe, the national final, British Open, Brass in Concert, the Yorkshire Area - every significant contest in the banding calendar.

“He really is regarded as one of the finest exponents of his instrument, so it’s a real honour to have him play for us.”

Michael will also perform as a guest with the headline act the Hepworth Band. Other bands performing are Stannington Band, The Salvation Army Yorkshire, Tees and Humberside Band, and Barnsley Town Concert Band.

Bandfest is tomorrow at the Ironworks, Elsecar Heritage Centre, from 5pm. Tickets available on the door.