Virtuosi GUS Band

Last updated

The GUS Band is a world-famous [1] [2] [ citation needed ] 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. [3] Since then, the band has won many prizes and competitions over the years. [4] [5]

Contents

History

On 2 January 1933, the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph reported [3] the formation of the 'Munn and Felton Works Brass Band'. In that article, Mr Fred Felton, co-managing director of the firm, said: "We are out to make it the finest combination in the country, and to make it a contesting band of note throughout the country". Two years later the new band were champions of Great Britain. [6] Since then, under the names of Munn and Felton, GUS (Footwear), The GUS Band, Rigid Containers Group Band, Travelsphere Holidays Band and now the Virtuosi GUS Band, [4] the band has travelled Britain, Europe and America, appearing in concert halls, on television and radio, [7] and has released many records and CDs. [8]

Major honours

The band's contesting successes include winning 1 World Championship, 6 British National Championships, 2 British Open Championships, and 15 Midlands Championship titles. [4] [5] [9]

World Champions:1971
National Champions of Great Britain:1935, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1966
British Open Winners:1954, 1988
Midlands Regional Champions:1946, 1947, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
National Mineworkers Champions:2013, 2017
All England International Masters Winners:2015, 2016
Royal Trophy:1935, 1954, 1955
National Quartet Champions:1966, 1967, 1968

Musical directors

The following list of resident and guest conductors is compiled from past contest results. [4] [5]

DatesName
1933–1938William Halliwell
1946–1975Stanley Boddington MBE
1955–1960 Sir Harry Mortimer CBE
1975–1978Geoffrey Brand
1978–1985Dr Keith Wilkinson
1985–1987John Berryman
1985–1989 Bramwell Tovey
1988David Stowell
1989–1990Robert Watson
1991–1998John Berryman
1998–2000Melvin White
2001 Frank Renton
2002Brian Grant
2003Russell Gray
2003Major Peter Parkes
2004–2007David Stowell
2007Rob Wiffen OBE
2007–2008Jeremy Wise
2008–2013John Berryman
2013–2018Adam Cooke
2018-presentLd. Chris Jeans

Partial discography

The band has released over 50 albums, [8] a selection of which are listed here:

Related Research Articles

Black Dyke Band

Black Dyke Band, formerly John Foster & Son Black Dyke Mills Band, is one of the oldest and best-known brass bands in the world.

A British 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 was formed in 1809 and was perhaps the first civilian brass band in the world.

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. It achieved worldwide fame after appearing in the film Brassed Off, and, along with the Black Dyke Mills Band, the band became the first to perform at the Proms.

Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band

The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band was formed in 1881. It is based in Brighouse, in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England.

Peter Graham is a prolific British composer for brass band.

Harry Mortimer was an English composer and conductor who specialised in brass band music, one of the foremost cornet players of his era.

There are five main brass band sections in the United Kingdom: Championship, First, Second, Third, and Fourth. Sometimes, a Youth section is also used, but this is not graded.

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.

Fodens Band

Foden's Band is a brass band from Sandbach in Cheshire. The band derives its name from the Foden manufacturer of trucks in Sandbach. Foden's Band are one of the top brass bands in the world; regularly appearing at the top of the "World of Brass – World Rankings" In 2012, Foden's became double winners of both the National Championships and the British Open.

Rothwell Temperance Band (RTB) are a Championship Section brass band in Yorkshire. Although they do not rehearse in Rothwell itself, they have strong connections with the town and hold many concerts for the local community.

Milton Keynes Brass is a British-style community brass band based in Milton Keynes, UK. It was founded in 1984 and was known until 2007 as Broseley Brass. This former name derived from that of its original commercial sponsors Broseley estates limited who were house builders active during the early development of Milton Keynes.

Frank Renton is a British musician, conductor and broadcaster, and former host of Listen to the Band on BBC Radio 2.

Kingdom Brass

Kingdom Brass is a brass band based in Kelty, in Fife, Scotland.

The Yorkshire Imperial Band, nicknamed the Yorkshire Imps, is a brass band from West Yorkshire, England. Previous names have included Yorkshire Imperial Metals Band, IMI Yorkshire Imperial Band, Yorkshire Imperial David Urquhart Travel Band, DUT Yorkshire Imperial Band and Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band. )

Callenders Cableworks Band

Callender's Cableworks Band was an amateur brass band made up of members employed by and under the patronage of Erith Works at the Callender Cable & Construction Co. Ltd, later British Insulated Callender's Cables, in Belvedere, Kent, and performing in London and south-east England. They were prolific broadcasters in the early years of BBC Radio, and won 25 brass band competitions.

Wellington Brass Band

The Wellington Brass Band is a British-style brass band based in Wellington, New Zealand. The 28-piece ensemble performs extensively throughout New Zealand and Australia, and is the current champion band of New Zealand and Australia.

Nicholas John Childs is a Welsh musician, conductor, composer and brass educator.

Tredegar Town Band are a brass band from the town of Tredegar, located in South Wales, founded in 1849. They are managed by Ian Porthouse.

The Dublin Silver Band is a traditional British brass band based out of Dublin, Ohio as one of the four Dublin Community Bands, a 501(c)(3) arts organization. It was created by former Ohio State University Marching Band director Dr. Paul Droste and tuba player Dr. Patrick Herak as the Ohio Brass Band in 2008 as a way for high-level non-professional musicians to preserve the British brass band style of music in central Ohio. The name was changed upon joining the Dublin Community Bands.

The Cooperation Band

The Cooperation Band is a British brass band based in Glasgow. It has won the Scottish brass band championship a record 36 times, and the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain twice.

References

  1. "World Rankings". Brassstats.com.
  2. "World Rankings". 4barsrest.com.
  3. 1 2 "1933 Northampton Evening Telegraph article".
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Brass Band Results Archive". Brassbandresults.co.uk.
  5. 1 2 3 "Contest Archives". 4barsrest.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  6. "National Championships Results". Contest Archives. 4barsrest.
  7. "Virtuosi GUS Band In The Studio". Listen to the Band. BBC. Retrieved 16 November 2007.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  8. 1 2 "GUS / Munn and Felton Discography". Recordings Archive. The Internet Bandsman's Everything Within.
  9. "Roll of Honour". The National Finals Archive. Kapitol Productions. Retrieved 17 February 2012.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)