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How the Value of Brass Bands Extends Beyond Music The scene in Brassed Off where the band gathers outside of the hospital, donned in their miner’s headtorches, to perform Danny Boy is one of the most memorable scenes from the iconic film. It’s a moving moment for all, whether you’re a brass bander or not. However, speaking as a brass bander, the reason I end up sobbing uncontrollably is because it is a microcosm of what brass banding truly is. The band’s performance isn’t j

Progress. Charles Darwin said it best: in order to survive, you must adapt and evolve. He’s right. Whether we’re talking about penguins or brass bands, adaptation and evolution is vital to avoid extinction.

An Exploration of Un Vie De Matelot for Brass Band The set work for the 2026 Senior Trophy is Robert Farnon’s charismatic Un Vie De Matelot (A Sailor’s Life). It’s a difficult work with plenty of challenges for the soloists, as well as tricky technical sections that are sure to put a band through its paces. Let’s take a deeper look into the piece and what it has in store for the bands performing it. Who was Robert Farnon? Robert Farnon was born in Toronto in 1917 and is reg

'Ballet for Band 'by Joseph Horovitz is a characterful work that blends together declamatory motifs, cheeky melodic moments and sweeping romantic lines. Ahead of it testing the bands at the 2026 Spring Festival, let’s have a look at what the piece entails and the challenges presented within the staves.

Red Admiral Music Academy have already earned themselves a solid reputation for running outstanding events. Now, alongside their partners, Leyland Band, they can add Fleetwood Contest to their roster of successful competitions. After 13 years, the contest returned to Marine Hall and thanks to the efforts of both organisations involved (in this author’s opinion as a player who competed in the contest) it’s better than ever.

The Black Dyke Band will make its return to the BBC Proms on Sunday 19th July 2026 at the Royal Albert Hall for the first time in almost 20 years. This is an incredible opportunity that not only puts the outstanding talent of the Queensbury-based band front and centre on a global stage, but showcases the capabilities of modern brass band repertoire to a wider audience.

An Inspiring Afternoon with the Flowers Band Ahead of making their debut at the European Brass Band Championships in Linz, the Flowers Band hosted a fantastic open rehearsal at Gloucester Guildhall. For family, friends and fans of the band, it offered a glimpse into their preparations, as well as the opportunity to hear both the set work by Thomas Doss, and their own-choice test piece for the contest. A Historic Milestone Representing England at the European Brass Band Champi

Eric Ball is a household name within the banding community, having penned some of the movement’s most well-known and beloved works, such as Resurgam, Journey into Freedom and Star Lake. Similarly to those aforementioned pieces, Indian Summer is a work that forms some of Ball’s most familiar repertoire and has been frequently used as a set work in the UK contest circuit.

How This Brass Bander is Approaching 2026 It’s a new year - definitely not a new me though. I’ve spent 29 years maintaining the current model of Liv, I’m not starting again with a new one. However, I’m not against the idea some small repairs and renovations though.That is what this blog is about. No major regime changes, just rejecting what doesn’t work anymore and implementing some new features to hopefully help take my playing to the next level. I’ve made the decision that

My Favourite Banding Moments from this Year As we enter 2026, I thought I’d go for a quick skip down memory lane and revisit some of my favourite brass band moments from the last 12 months! A Very Brassy Wedding Of course, the event that had to take the top spot was tying the knot with my Sop-playing other half, Robert. It was the moment where I realised just how much banding has given me. My two banding besties of over 12 years, Natalie and Matt Shaw, who have featured in so