Southland 15-year-old musician capturing national attention

Anyone up to 23-years-old can audition for a spot in the New Zealand Youth Brass Band. It was no surprise that at 15 Lachie McGregor felt the odds were probably stacked against him this year.

Lachie McGregor has been selected in the New Zealand Youth Brass Band at just 15-years-old

Lachie McGregor’s musical journey is already an impressive one - and that’s at just 15-years-old.

The Verdon College pupil has been selected in the New Zealand Youth Brass Band - made up of the country’s most talented young brass and percussion musicians.

Anyone up to 23-years-old can audition for a spot in the prestigious band. It was no surprise that at 15 Lachie felt the odds were probably stacked against him this year.

In July - as part of the audition - he was required to play a piece that was provided to him, as well as a piece of his own choice.

They were filmed and sent away to those in charge. Lachie sat back and hoped for the best.

“A couple of months later they came back and said I made the cut,” a delighted Lachie told The Tribune.

“I was hopeful, but I knew it was quite unlikely, and I wasn’t expecting to get in.”

“I would be one of the youngest, if not the youngest [selected].”

Lachie is passionate about playing the tenor horn and is also a talented composer, saxophonist, and drummer.

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Earlier this year he was selected in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Brass Band and the progression to the New Zealand Youth Brass Band is another step in an already impressive music journey that for him started out as a seven-year-old.

It’s little surprise that he picked up a musical interest considering Lachie is part of a talented musical family.

His older sister Kate - who was in her first year at university this year - is also in the New Zealand Youth Brass Band on baritone horn.

While his older brother Sam is the trombonist and vocalist for the Southland Youth Jazz Band, and he made the All-Stars Band at Southern Jam on trombone.

Sam was also part of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Brass Band.

For Lachie, the focus now turns to next month when he joins the New Zealand Youth Brass Band in Christchurch where they will play some concerts together. That’s after some time preparing as a band.