2012 will see the 75th Anniversary of the formation of the Gloucestershire Brass Band Association. To mark this occasion we will be holding an all-day celebration of brass band playing at Highnam Court on Saturday 7th July 2012 (Click here to view the location).
A selection of our member bands will play short programmes throughout the day. There will be a performance from the Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band in the evening, followed by a massed band finale, conducted by Philip Harper. The GBBA has commissioned three pieces to commemorate the occasion, one from Matt Kingston, to be performed by the massed band and two from Philip Harper, one to be performed by the GYBB and the other by the massed band.
The aim of the day is to celebrate our landmark 75th Anniversary and to get as many players, band supporters and members of the general public involved as possible. We will be working with our charity partners, the Pied Piper Appeal and Great Oaks Hospice, in order to get the event staged and to provide a full range of additional activities during the day.
We have also gained sponsorship and assistance from several companies, without which the event could not go ahead. We are currently seeking further sponsorship and would welcome help from any businesses who wish to help us.
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Big Shiny Brass brings you the very best in digital sheet music for your brass band! |
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Ev-Entz Music |
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World of Brass – The Home of Brass Sound |
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BFBB - Norman Jones Trust Fund |
Tickets
Tickets for the event are already available from Jenny Roberts at Great Oaks Hospice. She can be contacted on 01594 811910. Tickets are priced at only £5 and all under 16's get free entry. There will also be a bumper raffle drawn on the day. Tickets for this are also available from Jenny and a list of prizes will be made available shortly.
Brass Playing
Starting at 10.00am and concluding at the end of the day with the GYBB performance and the massed band finale, brass playing will take centre stage. Our performing bands will each play a programme of 20 minutes on the main terrace of Highnam Court. You can bring your chair and perhaps a picnic (although plenty of food will also be provided) and listen to the bands all day!
The order of play was drawn at this year's GBBA Own Choice Contest, on 20th November 2011 and is shown below. More exact times will be added shortly.
Performing Bands | |
1 | Cheltenham Silver Band |
2 | Pillowell Silver Band |
3 | Forest of Dean Brass |
4 | Flowers Band |
5 | Gloucester Brass Band |
6 | Bream Silver Band |
7 | Portishead Town Band |
8 | Phoenix Brass (Marlborough) Band |
9 | Lydney Training Band |
10 | City of Bristol Band |
11 | A. W. Parker (Drybrook) Band |
12 | Bristol East & Kingswood Band |
13 | Gloucester Excelsior Band |
14 | Frampton-on-Severn Silver Band |
15 | Tewkesbury Town Band |
16 | Lydbrook & Lydbrook Training Band |
17 | Cirencester Town Band |
18 | Gloucester Salvation Army Band |
19 | Wotton Silver Band |
20 | Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band |
Please note that Flowers and A. W. Parker (Drybrook) have swapped time slots to allow Flowers to play earlier due to a concert later in the day.
Chorum Records will be present on the day and record all of the brass performances. These will then be available to purchase. For more information, visit the Chorum Records stand during the event or visit their website: www.chorum.co.uk.
There will also be a Youth Workshop run during the day, where the team from Gloucestershire Music Services will run "Have a Blow" sessions, encouraging youngsters to try out brass instruments and to learn more about brass banding.
MAD 4 Brass Bands Day
MAD 4 Brass Bands Day is designed to “Make A Difference” for Brass Bands and clearly demonstrate the huge contribution bands make in our local communities across the UK. Each year the BFBB works with participating bands and event organisers like the GBBA to maximise publicity and encourage more members of the public to participate in Brass Band music making either as volunteers, players, supporters or audience members.
To find out more, visit the MAD 4 Brass Bands Day website.
Brass the Baton
Brass The Baton is an exciting new project for 2012 designed to increase participation in the Brass Band Music art form on an unprecedented scale never attempted before from a single event. It provides a unique opportunity for brass musicians, and conductors, of all ages, to perform a new music commission as part of a high profile, high quality, nationwide celebration of brass band music making for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
Brass The Baton is basically a relay race involving 5 conductor’s batons, each representing one of the 5 Olympic rings and coloured accordingly. Starting in Europe in May at the prestigious European Brass Band Championships each of the 5 batons will be passed by participating Brass Bands / Ensembles across the UK and Internationally, until they reach their final destination:- the London 2012 Festival in July.
The GBBA are hoping to provide a relay point for the Brass the Baton initiative at the 75th Anniversary Celebration. When we hear more on the project, we will let you know!
To find out more, visit the Brass the Baton website.
Other Performances
Highnam Court will also play host to several choirs and other acts, who will perform at various points in the gardens throughout the day. Full details of these will become available shortly.
Trade Stands, Stalls & Activities
The full lineup of trade stands has not yet been finalised but we have so far secured stands from the following companies...
There will also be a plentiful selection of food and drink tents, as well as various other stalls. All the normal activities of a full English summers day out such as face painting and bouncy castles will be provided and the beautiful gardens are open for visitors to wander through.
