Background

The Band was formed on the premise that many young people lose interest in music because they have to spend long hours learning scales and both studying for and taking examinations without any purpose in sight. Playing with this Band gives Band members the encouragement to continue to study and to enjoy their music making and to provide that purpose for the hard work required. The Band also bridges the gap between school and adulthood and some professional musicians that have graduated through the Band may otherwise have given up before making music their career.

It was formed by Mike Booty - who is still Chairman and Musical Director - in 1974. The Band has raised many thousands of pounds for charities and regularly gives about thirty concerts each year. The Band has twice played for and been presented to HRH The Princess Royal, once in the Royal Albert Hall. It has performed ‘Tubby the Tuba’, narrated by the late Roy Castle, and performed in Europe on many occasions winning third prize in an International Music Festival in Valkenberg, Holland. The Band has toured Germany five times, most recently in July, 2000.

The Band is completely independent, the only major sources of Band income are the two events held each year solely for this purpose (the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ concert and a Christmas concert).

Structure of the Band - Each section of the band has 1 or 2 section leaders, whose job it is to keep the music organized for their section and to ensure they have enough players from their section for concerts. These are usually senior players and also make it their job to make sure the younger players in their section are ok. Most section also has a soloist or joint soloists who plays solos at concerts. A few of the valued players who are too old to hold membership in the band, are invited to return to the band as OAPs (Over-age players) when they leave, and often they help the section leaders.

Child Protection- The band operates a child protection policy.