Sounding the Future

Fountain City Youth Brass Academy

The Fountain City Youth Brass Academy provides young musicians with transformative musical experiences, expert instruction, and opportunities to perform at the highest level in the British brass band tradition.

Who We Are

Fountain City Youth Brass Academy (FCYBA) is a premier youth music organization dedicated to developing the next generation of brass and percussion musicians through exceptional instruction, mentorship, and performance opportunities in the British brass band tradition. Open to students of all abilities, FCYBA offers a supportive, inspiring environment where young players grow musically and personally. Participants are challenged to reach their full potential through regular rehearsals, sectionals, masterclasses, and concerts, all led by a faculty of professional musicians and educators. More than just an ensemble, FCYBA fosters discipline, teamwork, leadership, and a lifelong love of music. As part of the broader Fountain City Brass Band family, FCYBA serves as both a training ground and a creative community—preparing students for future success on and off the stage.

2025-2026 FCYBA Schedule

Registration Deadline: November 15, 2025

Seating Placement:
Members have the option to audition live or to upload an unedited virtual audition.

Scales

  • Concert B-flat Major and Concert E-flat Major – one octave for younger students, or two octaves for advanced students.
  • Chromatic Scale – from your lowest comfortable note to your highest.
  • Percussionists: Perform a two-octave C Major scale on mallets and one rudiment of your choice on snare drum.

Solo, Etude, or Excerpts

  • Perform one or two selections (solo, etude, or excerpt) of your choice, totaling approximately 2–3 minutes. Choose music that best showcases your musicianship, highlighting both lyrical and technical ability.

Workshop/Music Reading Session #1:
November 30, 1:30-4:30 PM

Workshop/Music Reading Session #2:
December 14, 6:00-9:00 PM

Workshop/Music Reading Session #3:
January 4, 1:30-4:30 PM

Weekly Sunday Rehearsals (Beginning 1/11)
     1:30 – 3:30  PM – Academy Band
     2:30 – 3:30 PM – Youth Band

Saturday, March 14, 2026 – Texas Brass Festival 
Dallas, TX

Sunday, March 29, 2026 – Finale Concert
De Soto High School Performing Arts Center, Time  1:30 – 5 PM

Register

At Fountain City Brass Band we fully support our area public and private school music programs. We expect our FCYBA students to participate in their school music program, if they have one, and understand that these programs take precedence over FCYBA events. Students who choose not to participate in their school music program need to email helen@fcbb.net to continue with registration.
All bands rehearse each Sunday, beginning January 11, 2026. By clicking here, participants confirm they have reviewed the full schedule and agree to the schedule.
FCYBA Bands will compete at the Texas Brass Festival in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, March 14, 2026. Performers will be responsible for getting to and from Dallas on the competition day. Participants must travel with a parent/guardian or provide a waiver allowing travel with another adult. Competition Fee: An additional competition fee of $50 will be assessed to each participant to offset sheet music and competition entry fees.
Performance Requirements Scales Concert B♭ Major and Concert E♭ Major – one octave for younger students, or two octaves for advanced students. Chromatic Scale – from your lowest comfortable note to your highest. Percussionists: Perform a two-octave C Major scale on mallets and one rudiment of your choice on snare drum. Solo, Etude, or Excerpts Perform one or two selections (solo, etude, or excerpt) of your choice, totaling approximately 2–3 minutes. Choose music that best showcases your musicianship, highlighting both lyrical and technical ability.
$0.00

Stay Up To Date!

Make sure to register for the official FCYBA Band app to keep up with all scheduling information.

Free Fall Tune-ups!

Fountain City Skill Sessions
Join members of the award-winning Fountain City Brass Band for a series of engaging and educational evenings of brass and percussion skill building! These sessions are designed to help students grow as musicians and prepare for upcoming performance and audition opportunities in a fun, supportive environment.

  • September 21 (Grades 6–9):
    Sousa Honor Band Prep (Kansas)
    Tailored for middle school brass and percussion students preparing for the Kansas Sousa Honor Band. This session will focus on tone, technique, ensemble playing, and audition skills.

  • October 26 (High School + Advanced Middle School):
    District Honor Band Audition Prep (Missouri & Kansas)
    Focused on helping students succeed in district-level auditions. Instruction will cover scales, sight-reading, excerpt preparation, and audition performance strategies.

3:30-5:00 PM at St. James Academy
24505 Prairie Star Parkway | Lenexa, Kansas 66227

  • December 13 (All Levels – Middle & High School):
    Holiday Feature Performance with Fountain City
    A special, all-inclusive session held at MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) featuring a side-by-side rehearsal and performance with the Fountain City Brass Band. Students will experience the joy of holiday music while performing alongside one of the top brass bands in the country!

All sessions are led by professional musicians and educators from Fountain City and are open to brass and percussion students. Come learn, perform, and be inspired!

Our History

The Fountain City Youth Brass Academy was founded in 2008 by Helen Harrelson while she was on a sabbatical from her job in England. Helen is a native of England and grew up in the brass band tradition before attending the Royal Northern College of Music. From there, she became one of the world’s foremost baritonists and performed with some of the finest bands in the United Kingdom. Her passion for music education and this rich tradition led her to establish the FCYBA.

The FCYBA began as day-long ‘Expo’ workshops and has grown into season-long brass bands with over 150 members. The bands within the Academy are made up of brass and percussionists of all standards and abilities from late elementary through young adult. The bands of the FCYBA are non-cut programs for participants 18 years of age and younger. The conductors and specialists for the FCYBA bands are professional music educators that also perform with the Fountain City Brass Band. 

Since its inception, the bands of the FCYBA have won numerous national championships at the North American Brass Band Championships and the US Open Brass Band Championships, and been featured at prestigious events such as the Great American Brass Band Festival and the Kansas Music Educators Association’s annual conference.