AN all-women brass band will be celebrating female role models with a concert for York International Women’s Week festival.

Femmes Fortissimo, which brings together women brass players from across Yorkshire and further afield, will play tribute to music icons from Aretha Franklin to WW2 dance band leader Ivy Benson.

The York-based band, which began as a one-off in 2018 to mark the centenary of some women getting the vote, has been so popular with players and audiences that it’s now become a regular feature of the wider York International Women’s Week programme.

Femmes Fortissimo has a core of around 45 regular players – almost twice the size of a traditional brass band – and is conducted by music director Sue Sykes. This year the band will be joined by guest soloist Rebecca Lundberg, principal trombonist with the renowned Fairey Band in Stockport.

Kate Lock, the founder of Femmes Fortissimo, said: “The theme of York International Women’s Week 2020 is respect and recognition, so that was our cue to find a brass band arrangement of Aretha Franklin’s signature song, Respect – which we’ve done.

“In terms of recognition, we want to big up local musician Ivy Benson, who was born in Leeds and went on to lead her all-girl dance band throughout the Second World War. She was the start of ‘girl power’ – she was a huge star back then, but you don’t hear her mentioned much these days.

“Ivy used to recruit her girl trumpet players and trombonists from brass bands in the North of England, so it’s quite appropriate that we pay tribute to her. We’ll be playing her signature tune too, and we’ve also got a romping swing number that should get the party started.”

The up-tempo concert also features music from more modern icons of girl power, the Spice Girls, as well as music by Gloria Gaynor, Dolly Parton and Lady Gaga.

The Femmes Fortissimo concert is on Saturday 28 March at 7.30pm at the Church of the Holy Redeemer, Boroughbridge Road, York. Tickets cost £10, available on the door or in advance from https://femmesfortissimo2020.eventbrite.co.uk