Black Dyke Band, formerly John Foster & Son Black Dyke Mills Band, is one of the oldest and
In Britain, a brass band is a musical ensemble comprising a standardized range of brass and percussion instruments. The modern form of the brass band in the United Kingdom dates back to the 19th century, with a vibrant tradition of competition based around communities and local industry, with colliery bands being particularly notable. The Stalybridge Old Band, for example, first performed in 1815 and is still in existence, although it did not become a brass band until the 1840s.
Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the Cheshire East borough of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements: Sandbach, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock.
The Grimethorpe Colliery Band is a brass band, based in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England. It was formed in 1917, as a leisure activity for the workers at the colliery, by members of the disbanded Cudworth Colliery Band. Along with the Black Dyke Mills Band, the band became the first to perform at the Proms. Grimethorpe Band achieved fame after appearing in the film Brassed Off.
Philip Wilby is a British composer, organist and choir director.
The Lions Youth Brass is a youth band based in Sandbach, England. Founded in 1989, the band is named after several Lions Clubs in the region that have sponsored it since its founding. With over 100 members, the organisation contains three bands for players of different skill levels; in ascending order, these are the Debut band, the Academy band, and the Youth band. The age range of the organisation ranges between 6 and 18 and rehearse at Sandbach School every Tuesday.
The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band is a British brass band formed in 1881. The band is based in Brighouse, in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England. The band is known across the world, and is regarded by many as the best and most consistent "public subscription band" in the world. They were the 2022 British Open champions, the current Brass in Concert, and Saddleworth Whit Friday champions, and were voted 2022 4Barsrest Band of the Year. The band are regarded as one of the finest brass bands in history, and are in high demand across the globe.
Harry Mortimer was an English composer and conductor who specialised in brass band music, one of the foremost cornet players of his era.
As part of the British brass band tradition of contesting, bands are split into five main brass band sections in the United Kingdom. These are the Championship, First, Second, Third, and Fourth sections. In some contests, a Youth section is also used, but this is not graded. The adjudicator for qualifying contests sits enclosed and unable to see the bands as they play, and then judges them on various points, one of which is interpretation.
The Sandbach Crosses are two 9th-century stone Anglo-Saxon crosses now erected in the market place in the town of Sandbach, Cheshire, England. They are unusually large and elaborate examples of the type and are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, and a scheduled monument.
The Fairey Band is a brass band based in Heaton Chapel in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The band has achieved fame in modern music circles with its appearances playing Acid Brass although they still play traditional brass band music and participate each year in the Whit Friday Brass Band contests.
John Maines is a musician, trombone player and active figure in the British brass band movement as a performer, conductor, tutor, compere and concert presenter.
Simon Dobson is an English composer particularly noted for his brass band compositions.
The Yorkshire Imperial Band, nicknamed the Yorkshire Imps, is a brass band from West Yorkshire, England. The band is listed as one of the top 10 bands of the second half of the 20th century in Dr Roy Newsome’s ‘The Modern Brass Band’.
The GUS Band is a world-famous brass band, based in Kettering, England. Originally known as the Munn and Felton Works Band, it was formed by Fred Felton in 1933 in Kettering, England. Since then, the band has won many prizes and competitions over the years.
Andy Scott is a British tenor saxophonist, "equally at home in jazz and classical contexts", and award-winning composer who has made "important and sometimes mould-breaking contributions to the repertoire". He is currently Composer in Residence for Foden's Band. He has played with the Halle Orchestra, has formed and played with several ensembles whose musical style is rooted in big band jazz, Latin and funk.
The Wellington Brass Band is a British-style brass band based in Wellington, New Zealand. The 28-piece ensemble is registered contesting band in the New Zealand A Grade. The band performs extensively throughout New Zealand and Australia, and is the current champion band of New Zealand.
Nicholas John Childs is a Welsh musician, conductor, composer and brass educator.
Jordan Ashman is a British multi-percussionist born in 2004 in Bury St Edmunds, and is the winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year award in 2022.
Nigel Boddice MBE, hon. ARAM was a British trumpet player, conductor and band leader who was prominent in the UK brass band scene. He performed and recorded with many orchestras and bands over his lifetime, including a 20-year tenure as the Section Principal Trumpet of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
