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Ware Brass Rehearsals
are held on a Monday
from 20:00 - 22:00 at
High Cross Village Hall
North Drive
High Cross
Herts SG11 1AN
Location
History of Ware Brass
Dates For Your Diary

Rehearsals
Mondays 8.00pm
High Cross Village Hall

Concert in the Priory
12/09/10
The Priory Gardens, Ware

Music from 'The Wild West'
20/11/10
Drill Hall, Amwell End, Ware
 

There is evidence of a Brass or Wind Band in Ware dating back to the mid 19th Century. However, with the establishment of an association of bands in the London and Home Counties in 1895, this date is more commonly used as the official formation of the original Ware Band.


It was with the help of the Cooperative Society, as with many other brass bands, that Ware formed the first all brass band between the two world wars, and it was they that financed the first uniforms worn by members of the band, having originally been worn by famous CWS Manchester Band. The band flourished during the 30s and 40s and was became officially known as Ware Town Band. Between the wars the band was lead by Ernie Carter the elder of the two Carter Brothers who figured so prominently in the bands development during this period, and his brother, Cyril succeeded him in the 1950s.

In the early 1960s Alf Hulls and then Doug Lockerby successfully led the band, and under Doug’s tenure the band again achieved much success and particularly in the contest arena. Under his leadership the Band was encouraged to purchase new instruments and new uniforms.

In 1978 the band decided to drop ‘Town’ from its title and became known as Ware Brass and a year later, under the leadership of John Sharples, the band again purchased a new set of uniforms, a deep blue uniform that was to remain the band colours until the end of 1999. In 1998, through the very active support of the Ware Town Council, the Band purchased a set of brand new instruments. In 1999 Francis Treadgold was appointed Musical Director, and at this time the band ‘colours’ reverted back to green with a further purchase of new uniforms, and was made with considerable support from both local industry and individual contributors.

In 2001 the band appointed Kenny Durbin as Musical Director and he led the band to a significant number of successes in both the entertainment and National contest arena. In his first year at the helm, Ware Brass achieved 2nd place at the Milton Keynes Entertainment Contest, and were placed 3rd at the London & Southern Counties Area Contest in Stevenage just one month later.


This 3rd place resulted in Ware Brass being invited to the 4th Section National Finals in Preston the following September, where a rousing rendition of ‘The Attleborough Suite’ by Malcolm Arnold gave the band another prize for third place. In 2002, a 4th place at the London & Southern Counties Area Contest resulted in a further invitation to the 4th Section National Finals, this time held in Torquay, where a 10th place was sufficient for Ware Brass to be promoted to the 3rd Section from January 2003 – and what are year 2003 was to become! In the Band’s first appearance in the 3rd Section of the London & Southern Counties Area Contest, Ware Brass was given first place after giving a near faultless performance of ‘Northern Landscapes’ by Peter Graham, gained a third consecutive invitation to the National Finals and was instantly promoted to 2nd section, effective January 2004. Of course, the standard of bands in the second section is far higher, and the contest results have eluded the band since their very successful year of 2003. That said, great thanks is owed to the very committed hard work from Kenny Durbin, as Ware Brass is currently placed mid-table and therefore firmly established at this level.

 

In April 2006, Ware Brass appointed Phillip Littlemore as Musical Director.