Tewkesbury Church of England School
A small group from the band had lots of fun this afternoon entertaining the young people at Tewkesbury C of E Primary School by playing a selection of tunes and telling them all about how cool brass bands are! 
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2025 West of England Regionals Results
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Happy International Women’s Day!!
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Afternoon Tea Concert!
26th February 2025
The Bands Afternoon Tea Concert is tomorrow! Please come and join us for an afternoon of music, tea and cake! You will also get to see our first showing of the Regionals Test Piece “Arkansas”.
Don’t miss it!
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Not Long Left To Go!
16th February 2025
3 weeks to go until we play our Regional Test Piece “Arkansas” at Torquay! Lots of practice is underway!
We also have our Afternoon Tea Concert at Ashchurch Baptist Church on March 2nd! Come join us for an afternoon tea along with a preview of “Arkansas”!
£10 per person and kids are FREE! Afternoon tea is included in the price!
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Tewkesbury Winter Ales Festival 2025
8th February 2025
TTB had the pleasure of once again playing at the Watson Hall for the Tewkesbury Winter Ales Festival! Led by our MD Matt Rowe, the band played crowd favourites such as Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, Tom Jones’ “It’s Not Unusual” and Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman”. More traditional pieces included were “La Cucaracha”, “Spread a Little Happiness” and “Floral Dance”.
The Festival was full of local ales, stouts and ciders to enjoy, including the Tewkesbury Brewing Company’s golden ale “Fifty” which was released late last year in celebration of TTB’s 50th Anniversary year. The band ended their performance with the always demanded “Dambusters” by Eric Coates whilst the audience filled the air with paper planes (as is the tradition!).
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4BarsRest Winner Donates Prize Cornet to Training Band Player
4th February 2025
TTB Training Band Player Nicholas Patten won 4BarsRest Christmas Quiz, winning a Besson Prodige Cornet. He then kindly donated the Cornet to 10 year old Training Band Player Alice Blockley. Her mum said she was “thrilled” to receive the cornet which will further help her development as a player. “She will be practising every day now!”
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Christmas Concert 2024 – The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury
7th December 2024
The Band held its annual Christmas Concert at The Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury. We had the pleasure of being conducted by Guest MD Matthew Ludford King.
The concert opened in sparkling fashion with Peter Graham’s melding of several carols into the opener “The Spirit Of Christmas”. This was followed by an arrangement of the German song and popular folk tune “Gaudete” by Rodney Newton. It was then time to brighten up the mood with Rieks van Der Velde’s arrangement of the popular Christmas song “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” featuring our horn section.
The audience was then invited to sing-a-long to the calming carol “Hark The Herald Angels Sing”. The Band then played a beautiful arrangement of John Rutter’s “What Sweeter Music” with the tune sparsely spread around the band then finishing their first half with “Ravel’s Bolero” by Darrol Barry.
The Training Band then took to the stage and opened with “Up On The Housetop”, before commencing the creation of an unusual nativity scene featuring a polar bear, a penguin, and a donkey or two. These animals were linked to the pieces being played. First, it was an original piece for Beginner Band called “Dance of the Polar Bear”. Next, the Intermediate Band played an arrangement of the children’s song describing the nativity journey, “Little Donkey”. The Beginner Band then added the penguin magic with another of Helen Walters’s original pieces, “The Little Penguin”. The final piece of the first half saw the Training Band trombone section don donkey costumes to provide the ‘hee-haws’ along with the audience as they were encouraged to sing-a-long to Dominick’s “The Donkey”.
After a short interval, the Senior Band opened the second half with an arrangement of Leroy Anderson’s medley of carols (originally written for orchestra) “A Christmas Festival Overture”. The audience were then warmed up as the Band played Torme & Wells’s “Christmas Song” (known as “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”).
Audience participation – with picture cards to assist – got the Band through “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. Everyone then hopped onto a sleigh for a rapid snowy jaunt through Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride”, complete with whinny from Helen Walters and excellent use of the musical whip from Percussionist Lydia Young.
The Band paused their playing to carry out their Annual Awards. The Band awards were presented to the players considered deserving of recognition for their performances during the year. Congratulations to all of the recipients who truly deserved their awards:
- The Miles Amherst’s Trophy for the “Young Player of the Year” went to Toby Alexander (cornet).
- The John Warner Memorial Trophy for the “Lower Brass/Percussion Player of the Year” was awarded to Hannah Norman (euphonium).
- The Dave Crowe Memorial Cup for the “Cornet Player of the Year” was awarded to Lauren Farey (cornet).
- The Fred Poole Memorial Trophy for the “Musician of the Year” was awarded to Chris Dempster (tuba).
- The Francis Martin Memorial Cup for “Section of the Year” was awarded to the Euphonium section.
- The Jeffrey Clarke Associates Cup for the “Band Member of the Year” was awarded to Derinda Wildman (tuba).
Tirlebrook Primary School Choir then took to the stage to sing wonderfully before providing excellent jingly percussion to the Band’s final two items “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”.
Special thanks to all the Roses Staff, Tirlebrook Primary School and all volunteers and helpers for the day! We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!
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Oktoberfest…Part 2!
19th October 2024
Oktoberfest at the Black Bear….Prost!!
4th October 2024
The band has swapped its usual uniform for lederhosen and dirndls this weekend, to add to the fantastic Oktoberfest atmosphere at The Black Bear in Tewkesbury this weekend! If you missed us tonight, come and see us between 12pm and 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.
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50th Anniversary Concert at Tewkesbury Abbey
12th October 2024
Tewkesbury Town Band celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special concert at Tewkesbury Abbey.
The evening opened with the Training Band performing “Journey to Celebration!” followed by “Tewkesbury Fun-Tastic!”, composed by their leader, Helen Walters. Helen then introduced “Everything Is Awesome”, highlighting the joy of making music as a team. The Training Band concluded with audience favourites “Rat-A-Tat” and “Here Comes Bobby the Bear”, with lively participation led by long-time player Mark Windsor.
The senior band began with “Tewkesbury”, a march commissioned for the band’s 30th anniversary, played with passion fitting for this milestone. They then took the audience to “Neverland” by Christopher Bond, a piece that secured third place at the West of England Regional Contest under then-MD Andrea Price.
The concert showcased the journey from beginner to professional, with former Training Band member Will Norman performing a stunning rendition of “Concerto d’Aranjuez” from the film “Brassed Off!”. A nod to the band’s 1970s roots followed with Bill Charleson’s “Clog Dance”, before a beautifully expressive performance of “She Moved Through the Fair”, arranged by Matt Kingston.
A highlight of the evening was the world premiere of “Severn Stories” (Songs from an Ancient River), composed by Andrea Price for the occasion. She introduced the piece, which explores the River Severn’s history and spirit through three movements: “Legion”, evoking Roman soldiers marching upriver; “Sabrina”, capturing the river’s serene flow; and “The Bore”, portraying the Severn Bore’s dramatic energy. The Band delivered a superb first performance, earning high praise.
After the interval, the second half opened with “Hymn to the Mountain” by Etienne Crausaz, a Band favourite played in prestigious venues over the years. A poignant moment followed with A “Peaceful Moment” by Jonathan Bates, composed in memory of our player Becky Wilmot, who sadly passed away at 18. The piece was dedicated to all past Band members no longer with us. This beautiful piece was conducted by previous TTB player Harry Williams.
A lively flashback to the 2014 Ireland tour came next with music from Disney’s “Brave”, followed by the jazz-influenced “Mr Jums” by Chris Hazel, a favourite of long-time supporter Christine Poole. The concert concluded with James Curnow’s “American Spiritual Fantasy”, a staple of the Band’s past church concerts. A rousing encore of “Bohemian Rhapsody” delighted the audience.
Special thanks to Rob Nicholson from Cory Band for directing and compering the evening, with support from his Fiancée Cerys. Appreciation also goes to Nick Hudson for stepping in at short notice on Trombone, and Win Nash for covering Solo Horn. It was wonderful to welcome returning past players, including Janet Winterbourne, Kevin Palfrey (Cornet), and Mark Windsor (Percussion and Cornet).
A heartfelt thank you to the audience for making the night truly special – we couldn’t have done it without you!
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Golden Ale
Brewed to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Tewkesbury Town Band.
10th September 2024
Today, some of Tewkesbury Town Band spent the day at The Tewkesbury Brewing Co, mashing, sparging and boiling the bands 50th anniversary ale.
The ale will be available on the weekend of 25th October around various pubs in and around Tewkesbury, including The Cross House Tavern, The Black Bear, The Watson Hall, The Nottingham Arms, The Railway Inn at Ripple, and Churchdown Social Club.
The beer is a 5% Golden Ale, and a one off brew of 16 casks.
Please go out and raise a glass to Tewkesbury Town Band in its 50th year.
A special thank you to the local pubs that have supported this project, and also Daryl and Jack from Tewkesbury Brewing.
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Tewkesbury Town Bank Celebrates 50 Years of Making Music
16th June 2024
Last night’s formal dinner at Puckrup Hall was part of Tewkesbury Town Bands’ 50th Anniversary Celebrations.
Thank you to all those that helped to organise the event. Thanks also to Mark Farey, Betty Ellis, Christine Danter and Harry Williams for your speeches, and to Puckrup Hall for the excellent 3 course dinner.
It was great to meet and catch up with band members from over those 50 years.
Here’s looking forward to the 60th.
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Ripple concert to honour Nigel Morgan’s 23 years of conducting
Last evening, the Band performed a special concert at St Mary’s Church, Ripple, marking its 50th anniversary since reforming in March 1974. The event also honoured Nigel Morgan, the Band’s longest-serving musical director, who conducted the band for 23 years until retiring in 2020 after suffering a stroke whilst battling COVID. Despite all that, Nigel still attends as many band events as possible.
The concert programme was dedicated to Nigel, featuring pieces from his tenure. We opened with “Mississauga Spirit” by Ty Watson, celebrating the Canadian city’s 50th anniversary. This was followed by the overture to “The Pirates of Penzance,” a nod to Nigel’s love for Gilbert and Sullivan.
Nigel joined Tewkesbury Town Band in 1997, rebuilding it from 15 players to a thriving ensemble with a strong following. Under his leadership, the Band toured Germany six times and Ireland once. He led the Band to its first West of England competition success in 1999, securing a place at the National Finals in Nottingham with “Indian Summer” by Eric Ball, from which we played “By The Cool Waters.”
A long-time favourite, “Spanish Eyes” featured the cornet section and evoked memories of performances at beer festivals and celebrations. Nigel also contributed beyond the Band, serving as treasurer and trustee for the ‘British Federation of Brass Bands’ and ‘Brass Bands England’’, and as an auditor for the ‘European Brass Band Association’. Reflecting this, we performed “Indian Fire” by Swiss composer Mario Burki.
Nigel led the Band through its 25th, 30th, and 40th anniversaries, encouraging its first international tour to Miesbach, Germany in 1999. For the 40th anniversary, we commissioned “Images of Tewkesbury,” a large-scale work involving local choirs, poets, and re-enactors. Our 30th anniversary featured Andrew Duncan’s march “Tewkesbury,” played in 14 concerts across local villages.
The first half concluded with “Welsh Echoes” by Andrew Duncan, paying tribute to Nigel’s Welsh heritage.
The second half began with the Salvation Army march “Goldcrest.” We then played “You’re A Lady” by Peter Skellern, one of Nigel’s favourites. Nigel initially joined the Band to encourage his daughter Helen to play, never expecting she would one day conduct a concert in his honour. He also gained a son-in-law from the Band, as Helen married principal trombonist Hadrian. The trombone section (Hadrian, Daisy, and Martin) then performed “Frolic for Trombones.”
The Band has a rich history with Tewkesbury Abbey, performing for services, weddings, and royal proclamations. To reflect this, we played “A Stroll in the Park” by Philip Sparke. Our 2007 album featured “Skirl (A Scottish Carnival),” which we revisited.
Beer festivals have been a key part of the Band’s calendar, where Nigel’s playful conducting style was a highlight. He was known for teasing the audience by delaying “Dambusters,” a tradition we continue. The penultimate piece, “Rock Around the Croc!” by Alan Fernie, recalled a memorable Proms concert where members danced on stage.
Before concluding, Helen shared anecdotes of Nigel’s well-loved tradition of dressing up at Christmas concerts, appearing as Superman, Mary Poppins, and even Snow White. Nigel also played a key role in securing a permanent bandroom, ensuring the Band’s future. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Tewkesbury Town Community Service Award in 2015.
The concert ended with “La Cucaracha,” encouraging audience participation, followed by an encore of “Radetzky March.” The Band extends its heartfelt thanks to Nigel for his immense contributions to both the Band and the Tewkesbury community.
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Palm Sunday at Tewkesbury Abbey
24th March 2024
Players from both the Training band and Senior band joined together to play the Palm Sunday Service at Tewkesbury Abbey.
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National Brass Band Finals 2022.
Following on from our success in March, where the band achieved 2nd place in the West of England regional fourth section championships, we were invited for the second year in succession to the National Finals in Cheltenham on Sunday 18th September 2022. The test piece was New Beginnings by Fredrick Schjelderup.
Having only returned from our tour to Miesbach on 31st August, time for rehearsals was in very short supply!
Also, with the band still looking for a musical director, we were lucky to secure Rob Nicholson for a couple of weeks rehearsals, and to conduct us on stage on the day.
Rob is a great guy, with a wealth of knowledge, who made every minute of rehearsals stress free, with loads of encouragement for all. Rob has been Bb bass player for The Cory Band, ranked no.1 in the world for many years, so has been there and done it, yet is the most approachable gent you could hope to meet.
The week before the contest saw rehearsals nearly every evening, with adjustments down to the minor detail being concentrated on.
The day before the contest, for experience in a different venue, the test piece was played to a large audience in the Watson Hall during a short concert with the training band. They thought is was a winner!
On the day however, we didn’t give our best performance. Drawn 8th out of 16, we were in the middle of the draw, and as very often happens, got lost in the adjudicators mid position mist. We gained 14th place from 16, which was disappointing, but an achievement to have been competing there in the first place.
All great experience for the band.
Next year will be a higher standard, as we have finished top of the South West fourth section, and thus gained promotion to the third section.
Onwards and upwards!
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TEWKESBURY TOWN BAND TOUR TO MIESBACH, BAVARIA.
On Monday, 22nd August 2022, the band left Tewkesbury on a 24 hour, arduous coach trip to our twin town Miesbach, Bavaria, Germany.
With strict orders that the coach toilet was strictly for emergencies only ( 10 days is a long existence in the life of a chemical toilet! ) we made our way through France, Belgium and Germany, before arriving safely in Miesbach mid afternoon.
In the following 9 days we played in town squares, concert halls, several bandstands ( some with amazing backdrops ), had a massed band rehearsal with Niklasreuth Band, and were guests of honor at the 40th anniversary dinner of the Tewkesbury / Miesbach town twinning Association.
We also had some outstanding excursions, which included swimming in fresh water lakes, tobogganing, visits to a distillery and a coffee roastery, ancient lager cellars, and some beautiful churches.
Hospitality during our stay was more than we could have asked for, with a constant supply of schnitzel, pork steaks, chicken ( veggie options also ), cakes, coffee and beer, all provided throughout the week by the Miesbach twinning association, and local town councils.
Love for the connection between our towns was evident throughout the tour, and they are so dedicated to see this continue far into the future.
Special thanks go Helen Walters and Linda Lee for organising the tour on our side of the channel, with Judith Claremont-Fertl doing an amazing job organising all of our events and hospitality in Miesbach.
Also to Harry Sergeant and Martyn Sudworth, our two conductors for the tour.
Last and not least, to Steve and Jason of Pulhams coaches, for getting us safely there and back, always with a line to brighten then the day.😊
Tewkesbury Town Band launches a new season of Bands in the Park
The band kicked off with The Liberty Bell (AKA Monty Pythons theme tune) to open a new season of Bands in the Park 2022, at the Priory Park, Great Malvern.
Forced to cancel the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the Sunday afternoon event was well attended by a crowd, who spanned the generations. And the set included music for all the generations too: a medley of Lionel Bart tunes from Oliver, a sprinkle of Beatles Songs, Thank Your For The Music from Abba, the traditional D’ye Ken John Peel.
There were a couple of fine solos from two up-and-coming, band members and the trombone section entertained, in only the way that the trombones can.
The sun shone, children played, adults relaxed and ice cream was consumed.
UK National Brass Band Finals – 4th section, 19th September 2021
After finishing 3rd in the regional brass band competition held in Torquay in March 2020, Tewkesbury Town Band were invited to take part in the National Finals held at Cheltenham racecourse. Here, 14 of the U.K.s top 4th section bands would battle it out to see who would come out on top and take the National Trophy.
Unfortunately, our musical Director, Andrea Price, who had to leave us after only 18 months due to work resettlement in Manchester, however agreed to take us to Cheltenham as a final farewell. (Andreas first performance conducting the Band was at Torquay, and due to Covid, her second and final performance was at the national finals in Cheltenham!)
With Andrea now living in Manchester, rehearsals were crammed into several back to back evenings and weekend afternoons, when Andrea could make the trip down.
After great anticipation, we drew 3rd in the playing order, and we headed off to Cheltenham after our final 7.30am start rehearsal in Beckford Village Hall.
On stage, nerves held out, and a great performance from the band resulted in 8th place, far better than we had dared hope for.
Special thanks go to Andrea for the huge effort she put in to travelling to the rehearsals, and also to her expertise in her interpretation of the music, and ability to squeeze the very best performance from the band.
Congratulations to all involved, as this was only the second trip to the finals in the band’s history, and 22 years since the last.