Perthshire Brass prepares for landmark Aschaffenburg tour celebrating 70 years of city twinning

It is now just a few weeks until Perthshire Brass embarks on its long-awaited trip to Perth’s twin city of Aschaffenburg, Germany. This visit will be particularly special, as the band will be part of a wider delegation from Perth travelling to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the twinning between Perth and Aschaffenburg, with other local groups making the trip including Julie Young Dancers and Perth & District Pipe Band.

In the years and months leading up to a tour PB hosts many fundraising events of our own, but regular touring would not be possible at all if it weren't for The Gannochy Trust, Jimmie Cairncross Charitable Trust, Rotary Club of Perth, Perth & Kinross Council, Thomson Charitable Trust and The Guildry Incorporation of Perth, all of whom we would like to acknowledge for their very generous support.

These organisations are vital to our tours and we are proud to be funded by our own little corner of Scotland when representing our city and country abroad. We feel the support of Perth deeply and are delighted to be entertaining with an entourage which includes Provost Xander McDade and members representing Perth & Kinross Council and Friends of Aschaffenburg.

Before this, the band will take part in the City of Perth Salute on Sunday 28th June, where the people of Aschaffenburg will be awarded the Freedom of Perth. In the evening the band will also take part in the Twin Cities Celebration Concert in Perth Concert Hall, celebrating all of Perth's twin cities: Cognac in France; Nikopol in Ukraine; the cities of Perth in Canada and Australia; Bydgoszcz in Poland; Haikou in China; and of course Aschaffenburg in Germany. The concert will feature local ensembles Chansons, Perth Chamber Choir, Julie Young Dancers Perthshire Brass and Perth & District Pipe Band, as well as special guests and friends from Aschaffenburg Melomania Obernau and Spessart Highlanders. This is a rare opportunity to see the band in "tour mode" while in Perth and sure to be a cultural highlight for Perth's summer calendar.

The band would also like to thank everyone who has donated to the band, whether this is through fundraising buckets at Christmas engagements, attended concerts, bought raffle tickets, sponsored our members' fundraising events, or even just stood to listen to us when we've been playing out and about in Perthshire over the last few years - these are all small parts of a larger effort which make substantial trips like these possible and every single contribution is valued along the way.