The National Youth Brass Band consists of New Zealand's most talented young brass and percussion musicians.
The band members are all under twenty-three years of age and are selected from nationwide auditions of young band members from community-based brass bands. There is no automatic selection for a place in the band, as each player must audition annually.
Many band members have gone on to professional careers in services bands, the NZ Symphony Orchestra, professional conducting and of course the National Band of New Zealand.
The National Youth Brass Band training programme has developed a successful formula that both challenges and encourages our young musicians. Band members participate in a five-day training course which includes section work with some of New Zealand and Australia's finest musicians followed by a concert tour.
The annual Summer Courses have been an outstanding success both musically and profile wise for the brass band movement in New Zealand. The band has undertaken some ambitious tours to include the main centres, holiday resort towns and even vineyards, always with a loyal following and with an emphasis on having a lot of fun in the music-making.
Musical Director Tyme Marsters
Make friends with the band
The Youth Band has been financially supported by generous individuals and organisations who make an annual donation to the band through a Friends programme. If you would like to support the National Youth Band in this way.
Friends of the National Youth Brass Band
Barrie & Janet Aldridge (in perpetuity) E Aldridge (in perpetuity), Dennis & Margaret Dawson, Pete & Billie Harbidge, John & Norah Hollick, Trevor & Carol Kempton, Ian & Denise Levien, John McGough, Owen Melhuish, David Miller, Graham & Christine Moseley, NZ Army Band, New Zealand Veterans Band, Evan & Lorraine Sayer, and John & Rachel Sullivan.
Musical Director 2026 to 2028
Mark Carter, Wellington
Mark was born in Poole, Dorset, and began playing the cornet at the age of seven. He later joined the school brass band and became a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. Aged seventeen, Mark took his first trumpet lesson and studied at The Royal Academy of Music in London with John Wilbraham.
During his final year of study, Mark participated in the Royal Academy of Music exchange programme, which allowed him to study at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane. Since then, he has performed with the Cape Town Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Queensland Philharmonic, the Queensland Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Mark teaches at the New Zealand School of Music and is the sub-principal trumpet for the NZSO. He has conducted NZSO, Days Bay Opera, and is the assistant conductor of Stroma contemporary music ensemble and musical director of the Wellington Youth Orchestra.
