Welcome To The Bedford Town Brass Band Website
New and visiting players are always welcome
About Us
BedfordTown Band was established in 1894 and is currently a charitable organisation (Charity No. 1173181) located in Bedford.
The charity promotes traditional English brass banding and musical arts, by means of concerts, contests and other related activities. Through its various musical groups;
it educates members and prospective musicians of all ages in the skills, art and science of playing brass band music and instruments. It has an extensive music library with over 3000 works to perform and has instruments available for loan to band members who don’t own their own instrument.
Rehearsals take place throughout the week in the Primary Hall, Castle Newnham School, Polhill Avenue, Bedford, MK41 9DT.
Information about the individual music groups is available via the band links above.
The bands can be booked for a variety of public and private events and they perform at band contests, entertainment concerts, school and village fetes, church services, carols and charity fund raising events throughout the year.
If you are interested in becoming a member of one of the bands, would like to attend a rehearsal, or would like to book one of the bands for an engagement please contact our Band Secretary.
Latest News
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All Bands Concert
All the bands in the Bedford Town Band organisation will be joining together for a concert performance at The Place, Bedford on Saturday 18th May 2024 at 7pm.
We’re operating a “pay what you can afford” ticketing policy for this concert with all accompanied children free of charge.
Tickets can be purchased via the link here.
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Bella Ciao Music Festival
Bedford Town band are proud to be part of the Bella Ciao Music Festival, performing in St Paul’s Church, Bedford on Friday 26th April at 7pm.
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Want To Learn To Play A Brass Instrument?
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Happy New Year
Wishing all our players and followers a very happy and prosperous new year.
Upcoming Events
The bands have a busy schedule of performances throughout the year supporting local organisations and events.
April 2024
Bedford Town Band
26th @ 7pm – Bedford, St Paul’s Church – The Bella Ciao Festival
Tickets can be booked here .
May 2024
All Bands Concert
18th @ 7pm – Bedford – The Place Theatre, Bradgate Rd – Evening Of Musical Celebration from all bands in the Bedford Town Band organisation.
Ticket Details To follow
July 2024
Bedford Town Concert Brass
20th @ 4pm – Bedford Town Bridge – Bedford River Festival
Sept 2024
Bedford Town Concert Brass
28th @ TBC – Kings House, Bedford – Bedfordshire Federation WI Concert
Our History
Bedford Town Band was formally formed on 13th April 1894, completed its first public engagement in Bedford the following month and entered in its first Contest (in Luton) on 18th August that year, winning two prizes (one reportedly for its playing of a quickstep, the other for its rendition of ‘Elixir of Love’).
The Band quickly became well established and in 1896 organised its own Contest. It was reported that 17 Bands entered and that some 1500 members of the public attended. The Band was popular and successful in the first half of the 20th Century but went through something of a fallow period after the Second World War, struggling initially to reform and, once it did, although continuing to compete, languishing for the most part in the lower sections.
That changed, though, and Bedford Town Band as we know it today took shape following the appointment of Mr Terry Hext as Musical Director, an eminent trombone player and Head of Brass Teaching in Bedfordshire. He took over the Band in the Fourth Section in 1974, but oversaw a meteoric rise that, in successive Regional Finals between 1977 and 1980 saw the Band crowned champions of the 4th Section, champions of the 3rd Section, runners-up in the 2nd Section, and then champions of the First Section. The Band competed predominantly in the Championship Section until Terry left the Band in 1988, since when it has largely been a First Section Band, although has found itself in the Second Section for the last 3 years.
The Bedford Town Band is now under conductorship of Craig Patterson. The associated bands and learner groups – Concert Brass (largely adult, non-contesting Band), Progress Brass (mainly for our younger, developing players, but with some of the more ‘experienced’ players on hand to help out), plus the Academy Brass, Mature Learners and Wellbeing Brass groups, boasts over 60 players.
A more detailed history (compiled by Barbara Summersgill for the Band’s centenary anniversary) can be viewed here: History Of Bedford Town Band
Gallery
Band Officials
| President: | Vacant |
| Vice Presidents: | Michael Rose Ian Smith |
| Chairman: | Paul Riggett |
| Vice Chairman: | Graeme Down |
| Secretary: | Alice Muzzlewhite |
| Treasurer: | Vikki Bean |
| Membership Secretary: | Vikki Bean |
| Safeguarding Officer: | Martin Orr |
| Town Band Managers: | Gary Summerfield Graham Young |
| Concert Brass Manager: | Steve Gadsden |
| Progress Brass Manager: | Alistair Staddon |
| Academy Manager: | Peter Berrington |
| Librarian: | Rosemary Fisher |
| Assets Manager: | Geoff Gaylor |
| Other Band Representatives: (Trustees) | Karen Nutting Mollie Muzzlewhite Darren Smith David Barlow Gerrard Atkins Avril Reeves |