The previous world record was held by 289 musicians, set in Broekhuizen, the Netherlands in 1997.
The mighty gathering entertained crowds with a selection of classic pieces including When the Saints Go Marching In, Handel’s Sarabande and Holst’s Mars, the Bringer of War (from The Planets). The trombonists from around the world performed under the baton of trombone luminary Dennis Wick. "The delegates are from all over the world - Holland, Belgium, Brasil, Germany - international trombonists" said Artist Co-ordinator Rachel Gawland "The artists themselves are here through the love of the instruments. We have cream of the crop musicians like Mark Nightingale here.
 | | Jerry Gordon from USA |
"This is the 35th consecutive festival. Last year was New Orleans. This year its England and we decided to hold it in Birmingham as it’s the heart of the country - and we want to promote keeping music live." Jerry Gordon came all the way from Boulder, Colorado to take part in the record-breaking event: "I'm here to share this wonderful opportunity with all these great trombone players. To hear great music and to play great music and get lots of trombone paraphenalia. We're absolutely gonna break this record today."
 | | Carlos Sanchez from Ecuador |
Nineteen-year-old Carlos Sanchez is from Ecuador: "I want to be part of this official world record attempt at the International Trombone Festival. I've played for four years and I play in the only brass band in south America in Ecuador. We are all young people and the youngest is 8 years old." Martin Schley joined friends from Germany to be in Birmingham for the International Trombone Festival: "I play trombones as a hobby. The trombone is the nicest brass instrument because you have many possibilities with it because it has a slider and can create so much music."
 | | Martin Schley from Germany |
Eleven-year-old Olivia Law picked up her love of the trombone from her father: "My dad plays trombone and he saw this International Trombone Festival was happening so we came along to join in with the World Record. "I love this instrument. It's different from anything else. You can make different noises. I feel really special being here today and I can't wait to tell everybody at school. We'll smash the record."
 | | Olivia Law aged 11 |
And smash the record they did. The official figure is yet to be confirmed, but it's expected to be in excess of 400 trombonists. "It worked!" said Dennis Wick International Trombone Chairman and conductor of the record breaking attempt "it's great to see so many kids - little kids - playing at a reasonable level and getting a kick out of it. Music is to enjoy. To enjoy by doing, to enjoy by listening. "It's marvelous to see the trombone, which is considered an endangered species, has so many good young kids playing it. Its very heartening for a guy like me.
 | | Dennis Wick conducts |
Birmingham school children, right up to seasoned musicians all enthusiastically performed When the Saints Go Marching In, and whooped with delight when it was announced they had smashed the record. So what's the appeal of an instrument like the trombone? "It makes a lot of noise - you can play louder than anybody," says Dennis Wick "It’s a difficult instrument and when you've mastered an instrument as difficult as the trombone you're good and better at everything.
It's no coincidence that the kids who do best at school are the kids that play musical instruments. You've got a fantastic music service in Birmingham that’s doing a wonderful job and you should be proud of it." International Trombone Festival The Guiness World Record event is one of many taking place across Birmingham this year as part of the International Trombone Festival with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra making it’s own contribution at Symphony Hall on 21st July at 7.30pm.
 | | Sucess! |
The concert features some of the most impressive British brass pieces from the classical repertoire including a special revival of Gordon Jacob’s Trombone Concerto, originally commissioned for the CBSO 50 years ago. Running from Thursday 20th July to Sunday 23rd July, the festival will be bringing leading lights from the trombone world to the Midlands. Tickets for Slides Rules cost from £8 to £38 and are available from Symphony Hall Box Office on 0121 780 3333 or on line at www.cbso.co.uk. | 
