A Brief History
The Marple Brass Band was founded in 1900 and included reed instruments in its early days. There have been many ups and downs of musical fortune in times past, but its more recent history included appearances at the Royal Albert Hall in the National Brass Band Championship Finals in 1994 and a wonderful win at the British Open Brass Band Championship in 1996 at the Bridgewater Hall.
The current band has recently started contesting again and in March 2013 became the North West 3rd Section Regional Champions. We then competed at the National finals in Cheltenham in September 2103. The band has now been promoted to the second section at national level and again competed in the North West Regional contest in March 2014, attaining a very creditable 2nd placement. The band is again taking part at the National finals, this time as a 2nd section band. We also compete in the Whit Friday March Contest which means dashing around the small Saddleworth and Tameside villages in a 50 seater coach to compete at around 8 or 9 events.
Timeline
2018 Morley March & Hymn Contest, 1st prize, 2nd section, S. Curtis
2017 Dewsbury Annual Open, 2nd prize, 2nd second, S. Curtis, “Connotations for Brass Band” Listen Here
2015 Promotion to 1st Section
2014 National Finals, Winners, 2nd Section, S. Groark-Booth, “Traversada”
2014 NW Regional, 2nd prize, 2nd Section, L Webb, “Chaucer’s Tunes”
2014 Promotion to 2nd Section
2013 National Finals, 14th, 3rd Section, L Webb, ” Penlee”
2013 NW Regional, Winners, 3rd Section, L Webb, “Hollywood”
2007 Whit Friday, 15th Overall Tameside, S Groarke
2006 Whit Friday, unplaced, H Taylor.
2005 Whit Friday, 3rd Lydgate, S Groarke
2004 Whit Friday, unplaced, A Jenkins
2004 Band re graded Second Section.
2004 Regular rehearsals resumed, once per week with small band.
2002 Regular rehearsals suspended, VP and Xmas Concerts continue.
2001 British Open, 18th, D Beckley, “Les Preludes”
2000 Millennium Concert, A Berryman, G Cutt, Old Gits Band
2000 British Open, 22nd, D Hirst, “Ceremony”
1999 British Open, 12th, G Cutt, “Dove Descending”
1998 British Open, 5th, G Cutt, Diversions on a Bass Theme”
1997 British Open, 11th, G Cutt, “Whitsun Wakes” (Jan 98)
1996 British Open, Winners, G Cutt, “Severn Suite”
1995 British Open, 11th, D Broadbent, “Revelation”
1994 National Finals Albert Hall, 8th, G Cutt, “Theme and Co Operation”
1994 British Open, 4th, D Broadbent, “Salamander”
1994 NW Area, 2nd, Championship Section, G Cutt, “Partita”
1994 The Martell Grand National, Afternoon Concert at Aintree.
1993 British Open, 4th, G Cutt, “Masquerade”
1992 British Open, 4th, G Cutt, “Cloudcatcher Fells”
1991 British Open, 11th, GCutt, “Pagannini Variations”
1990 British Open, 14th, G Cutt, “Le Roi d’Ys”
1989 Buxton Contest, Winners A Section, G Cutt, “Trittico” 12 points clear.
1989 Grand Shield, 2nd, G Cutt, “Trittico”
1988 National Finals, Winners, 2nd Section, G “Cutt, Sunrise”
1988 NW Area, Winners, 2nd Section, G Cutt, “Royal Parks”
1986 National Finals, Winners, 3rd Section, G Cutt, “Fanfare and Variations”
1986 NW Area, Winners 3rd Section, G Cutt, “Suite in Bb”
1982 Garry Cutt appointed Musical Director
1982 Buxton Contest, Winners, B Section, G Cutt, “Egmont”
1982 Vice Presidents concert conducted by Garry Cutt
1982 Marple Brass formed as a feeder band.
1982 Falklands Concert conducted by Harry Mortimer
1980 Bryan Warrington appointed conductor.
1980 Stead and Nelson Memorial Fund started for Buxton Contest.
1978 Brian Stead appointed conductor
1977 National Finals 3rd Section, Unplaced,.
1977 NW Area, 3rd Section, 3rd “Introduction and Allegro”
1977 Alec Ashworth appointed conductor
1974 National Finals 4th Section, Unplaced, “Youth Salutes a Master”
1974 Belle Vue, Winners 4th Section, “Everybody’s Child”
1974 NW Area, Winners 4th Section, “Four Little Maids”
1971 Sponsored March for new instrument fund
1971 Started Bier Keller’s at Marple Baths
1970 Morris McLean appointed Conductor
1970 Manchester BBA Contest, 2nd, “London River”
1963 Band reformed by Charlie Ingham and Eddie Close
1958 Band suspended, instruments loaned to Marple Willows School
1949 Re formed after the war
1900 Banding started in Marple