Click here to see part of our performance by the County Hotel, on

Click here to see our performance at "The Steps" on

New Faces - 2009 saw the appointment of the band's 6th Musical Director - Roy Waite. Roy studied music at Nottingham University and the Royal Academy of Music, going on to play with many of the top bands as solo cornet including: Crossley Carpet Works, Hammonds Sauce Works , Dalmellington and Desford Colliery as principal cornet. He has brought a wealth of conducting experience from Championship Section bands including Lindley, Boarshurst, Amoco, Barrow Vickers, Skipton and Mossley. As a 'modern' brass band our players come from all walks of life, and this year it has been especially refreshing to see an influx of youthful enthusiasm into the band - local recruits Nathan Wake and Luke Galloway have graduated from the excellent Tewit Youth Band, whilst Paula Roberts moved to the area from 'oop north'. Bartolomeo 'Bart' Girardi also joined us on percussion from Italy - via Leeds where he working on an EU programme as a volunteer teacher. An old face also returned, with Rob Illsley returning as Principal Cornet bringing his skill and guidance to a new look cornet section.

Contesting - The band took part in three contests during 2009 - fewer than in recent years but each with strong results. The contesting year began in Darlington at the North of England Regional Championships, where our performance of Graham Cole's 'Pentacle' gained a creditable 5th place in the First Section. Spring saw a return to the popular Buxton Brass Band Festival, where our performance of Philip Sparke's magnificent 'Year of the Dragon' secured 4th place overall. The contesting highlight then came in September at the the Hardraw Scar contest, where the band played in the wonderful amphitheatre below the Hardraw Force waterfall to win back its trophy and become champions once again. Having won the contest in 2007, we had been pipped at the post in 2008 by the Shepherd Group Band. This year, however the tables were turned and the Harrogate Band stormed past the competition to win. In addition to winning the contest, then band also gained the prize for the best contest march of the day.

New venues and ventures - The year saw many new venues and joint ventures for the band. June saw a joint performance in the fantastic St Wilfred's Church with the acclaimed Harrogate Choral Society, whilst the summer brought new opportunities for the band at Harlow Carr Music Festival and Bolton Abbey. A trip to the seaside appeared on the engagements list when the band was invited to perform for Unison at the Scarborough Spa complex - sadly it turned out to be a windy and rainy night in October, although this didn't stop some band members paddling!. A visit to Hampsthwaite saw the band play in front of a crammed memorial hall and one of the warmest welcomes of the year.

Old Favourites - Once again the band represented the village of Trimdon Grange at the Durham Miners Gala, and returned to super venues and audiences at Ripon Holy Trinity Church, Sinai Synagogue, Meanwood Methodist Church, Wetherby Riverside Bandstand, Pateley Bridge Bandstand, Starbeck Methodist Church, Roundhay Park and Pannal Golf Club before closing the year at Harrogate International Centre at the North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service Christmas Carol Concert.

Goodbyes - We said goodbye to 'baby' David Smith who moved on after several years with the band, latterly as our principal cornet. Prior to his departure however we were delighted to accompany David in his Final Performance as part of his music degree at University of York St John. David is now playing with the world famous Black Dyke Band and we wish him every success in the future.

Brassed Off! - The highlight of the year came in early October, when the band joined forces with Harrogate Dramatic Society to present "Brassed Off" for the first time at Harrogate Theatre. Not only was the show a fantastic experience for all involved but it was also a resounding success with audiences, playing to full houses at every show. As the Harrogate Advertiser put it: "....and it is the music of the band - those familiar tunes such as the rousing Land of Hope Glory or the jubilant Floral Dance - that lifts the spirits when nothing else can. The Harrogate Band played such tunes magnificently, and proved what talented and accomplished performers they are."

We now look forward to busy 2010 - our 40th Anniversary and to seeing our supporters at the variety of concerts and some special events that we will be staging.
  <31/12/2009>

We weren't disappointed being given an especially warm welcome by Leeds joint President Derek Levy (his co-President Tony Felston was unable to attend) and the team who organized the hospitality and the concert led by Carole Clayman and Jeff Brownhut. And, of course, we got to meet many other Leeds members. Special thanks are also due to the Melnicks, Valerie and Joe of SAUL Lodge, who sparked the initiative to get the visit going in the first place.

Musically, it was a special evening for at this, the fifth concert in the series, we saw the debut of the award-winning Harrogate Band. If you don't associate the spa town of Harrogate with brass bands then you might also be surprised to learn that band membership includes estate agents, department store managers and academics. Whilst 'Nimrod' reminded us of Elgar's links with Harrogate, the band showed their versatility with arrangements of works by Ted Heath, Louis Armstrong, Ron Goodwin and Tchaikovsky

There were over 400 enthusiastic people in the audience at the Siniai Synagogue Hall with the proceeds going to BBUK charities and the Leeds Jewish Welfare Board.
  <2/12/2009>

The Harrogate Band players only realised Luke's other passion when he was found juggling with players' instrument stands and mutes minutes before a concert, "He's a very talented juggler," said Keith Graham, Harrogate Band Chairman, "added to that, he's a also an accomplished tenor horn player, it's great having him join the Band."

Luke's juggling prowess is brought to bear on the twenty other participants in The Circus of the Absurd, a juggling club he runs at the HYPeR Youth Club on Tuesday evenings, where he can be found helping out aspirant jugglers of all ages by passing on tips and training them. Commenting on the similarities between his two hobbies Luke said, "You wouldn't think it but many of the things you need to be a juggler are shared with playing a musical instrument; concentration; practice; awareness of your surroundings; performing in front of an audience; controlling your nerves when performing as well as basic hand eye co-ordination."

Luke also uses his juggling to focus his mind before appearing on stage with the Band. Keith Graham commented: "A lot of players have set routines they go through before going on stage to control their nerves, most people fidget and clean their instruments but whenever I look across at Luke he's usually found something to juggle and has a gang of players round him watching him go through one of his routines!".

Luke commented: "It's a great way for me to relax and release the tension before I perform on stage with the Band. You need something to distract you and stop you getting nervous so I like to juggle and the players love to watch, in fact it's got to the stage now where people are routing through their instrument cases finding stuff for me to juggle just to challenge me!".

Asked whether Luke will get to combine his two passions on stage Keith Graham said: "I'd love it if we could work Luke's juggling into one of our performances. We're always looking for opportunities to add new dimensions to our concerts to entertain audiences. I predict we'll have something for him to work on pretty soon, watch this space."

Let's hope for Luke's sake the Band won't be expecting him to play his tenor horn and juggle at the same time, then he really would have his hands full.
  <9/11/2009>

Bartolomeo (or Bart, as he is known) is working on an EU programme as a volunteer teacher for people with disabilities, he joined The Harrogate Band in May. He had never even heard of brass bands before coming along to his first practice but once he came he found he was hooked on the unique Yorkshire brass band sound. Commenting on his foray into brass banding Bart said: "I love playing for the Band, everyone's so friendly and welcoming at Harrogate and the standard of playing is as high as the orchestras I play in back home. I had never even heard a Yorkshire brass band before I came along and I was really curious to find out more, it's been great fun".

You might think that hailing from the country of Verdi, Puccini and Rossini would mean a slight disdain for that most traditional of Yorkshire sounds but this is where Bart has been surprised: "The Band has played pieces like The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Verdi's Nabucco, Napoli and many other classical arrangements that I've been brought up with from back home, the popular operas sound great being played by a brass band. The other great thing is that music is an international language and I can cope ok in rehearsals, in fact, it's even easier than you might think because in music all the descriptions for how the music should be played are in Italian! so actually, everyone else is speaking my language!"

Bart is the first Italian who has played for The Harrogate Band and he has proved a hit with the Band's players. Band supporter and percussion trainer Delroy Broadwaite has been especially impressed; "The Band play a lot of jazz and big band music which is new to Bart but he's coped really well and his language skills have really come on. He's an absolute delight to work with. His dedication and work ethic are fantastic especially when you consider that he uses a wheelchair and comes to rehearsals from Leeds using public transport. He says he's going to go back to Italy and tell them all about us so maybe he'll set up a fan-club up for us out there!"

The Harrogate Band will be performing with The Harrogate Dramatic Society in a live production of the hit film 'Brassed Off' in Harrogate Theatre from 30th September to 3rd October.
  <1/8/2009>

The Harrogate Band, North Yorkshire's finest brass band, has started rehearsals under the baton of its new musical director, Roy Waite. The Band has bid a fond farewell to its musical director of 14 years, David Lancaster who led the Band from the lower leagues of the brass band world to the top flight.

Roy conducted the Band at the Buxton Contest earlier this year and is an enthusiastic and experienced brass band conductor with a wealth of musical experience with top flight bands including Lindley, Boarshurst, Amoco and Barrow Vickers (as professional conductor), Skipton and Mossley both of whom he took to the National Finals competition in the same year. Like many conductors Roy Waite started off as a player and has played with many of the UK's top brass bands on solo cornet including: Crossley Carpet Works Band, Hammonds Sauce Works Band, Dalmellington Band and Desford Colliery Band as principal cornet. He studied music at Nottingham University and then the Royal Academy of Music. Like many exceptional brass band players he has pursued a career as a highly successful professional trumpet player playing with orchestras and jazz bands around the country. Roy Waite also writes and arranges music for brass band continuing a theme started by the Band's former musical director David Lancaster who is a highly successful composer and arranger in his own right.

On formally appointing Roy Waite as The Harrogate Band's Musical Director, The Band's chairman, Keith Graham commented, "Replacing a Musical Director of 14 years has been huge challenge for the Band but I feel we have found a Musical Director who understands the Harrogate ethos of entertaining audiences whilst introducing them to new and interesting works. Roy brings a wealth of experience to The Band and the passion he demonstrates in rehearsals is infectious."

Roy spent many years as a music teacher in Lancashire where he now lives and devotes his time to consultancy work and composing and arranging. On being appointed to the Band Roy said: "The Harrogate Band doesn't conform to the traditional stereotype of a brass band, it has a reputation for innovation, entertainment and looking forward. The standard of playing is high and the sound that the players produce is superb. In an era when quality players are hard to come by and some brass bands are disappearing this Band is capable of winning prizes and I intend to ensure we fulfil that potential."

Both Roy Waite and his predecessor David Lancaster are both from Lancashire which has caused some eyebrow raising with local supporter and proud Yorkshireman Delroy Broadwaite, "The previous conductor was from Lancashire and did his own compositions and now the new guy is from Lancashire and does his own compositions, it's taken me by surprise but it's what is best for the Band that counts."

When asked what he made of Harrogate Roy commented. "I am delighted to play my part in the cultural life of Harrogate. When you look at the culture Harrogate has to offer it's fantastic. There are choirs, youth bands, theatre companies, orchestras, jazz bands who all play their part in making the cultural life of the area richer and more varied. Next year is the Band's 40th anniversary year, very young in brass band terms, and I hope we can partner other organisations to put on joint concerts and events to entertain audiences throughout the Harrogate area."

The Harrogate Bands forthcoming concert programme includes Music for a Summer Evening at St Wilfrid's Church at 7.30 pm on Saturday, June 6th where they are joined by the excellent Harrogate Choral Society. The combination of the sound of choir and brass in architect Temple Moore's grade 1 listed masterpiece simply cannot be missed. Tickets are available on the door or telephone Gill Crowther, 01423 817885 for more information. The Band will also be taking part in a theatrical production of the hit film "Brassed Off" with Harrogate Amateur Dramatic Society in Harrogate Theatre in October.
  <1/1/2009>