Sounding the Future

Fountain City Youth Brass Academy

Your Music. Your Community. Your Moment to Shine.

Join the Fountain City Youth Brass Academy for an extraordinary season of music-making, friendship, and mentorship alongside some of the finest brass and percussion musicians in the country.

REGISTER FOR 2026–2027

Who We Are

The Fountain City Youth Brass Academy (FCYBA) brings together young brass and percussion musicians from across the Kansas City region to experience the excitement of British-style brass banding.

As part of the Fountain City Brass Band family, FCYBA provides exceptional musical instruction, mentorship from accomplished performers, and opportunities to perform and compete at a high level.

With two ensembles designed for different experience levels, we welcome young musicians at every stage of their development. Our goal is to complement and strengthen school music programs while helping students build confidence, friendships, and a lifelong love of music.

2026–2027 FCYBA Season

Priority Registration
Dec. 1

Final deadline: January 4, 2027

Tuition: $200 per student; $50 off each additional sibling.

AUDITION OPTIONS
Nov. 15

In person: 1–3 PM · St. James Academy

Video option: Submit an unedited recording anytime through January 4, 2027. Auditions are for ensemble placement, not elimination.

Explore & Perform

NOV01
Fountain City Brass Expo

Free mock Kansas and Missouri All-District auditions: 1:30–3 PM · Free Brass Expo: 3–5 PM

St. James Academy · Lenexa, Kansas · Free Sign Up
DEC10
Bells-a-Plenty with FCBB

Optional holiday performance: lobby prelude and concert finale side-by-side with FCBB.

The Pavilion at John Knox Village · Lee’s Summit

Rehearse & Compete

DEC20
FCYBA Reading Session

1:30–3:30 PMSt. James Academy · Lenexa, Kansas

JAN03
FCBB/FCYBA Clinic & Reading Session

1:30–3:30 PMSt. James Academy · Lenexa, Kansas

JAN10
Weekly Rehearsals Begin

Academy Band: 1:30–3:30 PM · Youth Band: 2:30–3:30 PMSt. James Academy · Lenexa, Kansas

MAR13
Gateway Brass Band Championship

Both ensembles compete.

Hettenhausen Center for the Arts · McKendree University · Lebanon, Illinois
MAR21
FCYBA/FC United Season Finale Concert

Both ensembles perform · Time and location TBA

Free admission · Donations welcome

Placement Audition Requirements

BrassConcert B-flat and E-flat major scales (one octave for younger students; two for advanced students), plus a chromatic scale from lowest to highest comfortable note.
PercussionTwo-octave C major scale on mallets and a snare drum rudiment.
All StudentsOne or two solo, etude, or excerpt selections totaling approximately 2–3 minutes that demonstrate musicianship.

Register

Complete the form below to register for the 2026–2027 FCYBA season. If you have any questions, please contact Helen at helen@fcbb.net.

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.
Regular Sunday rehearsals begin January 10, 2027, at St. James Academy in Lenexa, Kansas. Academy Band rehearses from 1:30–3:30 PM, and Youth Band rehearses from 2:30–3:30 PM. By checking this box, participants confirm they have reviewed the full 2026–2027 FCYBA season schedule and agree to participate.
Both FCYBA ensembles will compete in the Gateway Brass Band Championship on Saturday, March 13, 2027, at the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, McKendree University, Lebanon, Illinois (St. Louis area). Families are responsible for arranging transportation. Please indicate your availability so we can plan accordingly.
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.
Tuition is $200 for the first student and $150 for each additional sibling from the same household. Please complete a separate registration for each student. Select the additional sibling rate only if another student in your household is registering for the 2026–2027 season.
The official blue FCYBA T-shirt is required for performances. Returning students may reuse their existing shirt if it still fits.
Price: $20.00
Optional extra shirts for parents, siblings, supporters, or students wanting a spare. $20 each.
$0.00

Stay Up To Date!

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

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.

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