TWO spectacular evenings of entertainment in aid of the Mayor's Charities - Waldbronn Twinning Association, Bridges, MONday Appeal and RNLI - will be held on the evenings of Friday and Saturday, March 2nd and 3rd in the hall of the Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls.

The music, comedy and dance, is being performed by pupils of Monmouth School, Monmouth Comprehensive School and the Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls, supported by contributions from Monmouth Operatic Society, the Townrow Tappers and Off Centre Theatre.

For the next three weeks we will be looking at the contributions of each of the schools and groups.

This week the spotlight falls on Monmouth School.

The chance to experience The Monmouth School Brass, who will open the second half of each Concert, is an opportunity not to be missed. Formed in 1997 by their conductor Sean O'Neill as a small training ensemble for young brass players to progress before joining the more established wind bands in School, it soon became apparent that the brass ensemble was quite capable of performing in its own right.

In just three years the ensemble has grown from a handful of boys to a band of over 40, and their official title of Monmouth School Brass was adopted for their inaugural performance at School Speech Day in July 1999.

Last year was especially significant for the Band; not only did they compete in the National Festival of Music for Youth for the first time, where they were acclaimed as an "outstanding school band", but they also undertook their first concert tour abroad and received standing ovations for their performances in Paris. Their CD, First in brass, made last September was the debut recording of Monmouth School Brass Band and was made in celebration of the achievement of this young and newest musical ensemble to represent Monmouth School.

There is a long tradition of Barbershop singing at Monmouth School. The present group is proving a particularly successful combination, and enjoys a high and growing reputation at school and beyond. Due to other commitments the Monmouth School Barbershop will be singing at the Friday evening performance only.

Tickets are now on sale priced £5 (£4 concessions) from the Monmouth Cycle Centre, Beaufort Arms Court: telephone Monmouth 772779. During the closure of the shop for annual holidays, tickets are available from the Tourist Information Centre in The Shire Hall.