New Full time MD from April 2022 Onwards

Ware Brass are delighted to announce that from April 2022 they have appointed Mark Ager as their full time MD.

Mark Ager is one of the most successful conductors in the region. He conducted Haverhill Silver Band for 18 years winning the First Section area Contest three times (2006, 2011, 2015), achieving top 5 placings in the Championship Section twice (2007 & 2017), winning the First Section at the Butlins Mineworkers Contest (2006) and winning the Crawley Entertainment Contest (2012). Before conducting Haverhill Mark conducted the Clacton-on-Sea Co-operative Band where the band was placed in the top 4 Championship bands at the Area Contest for three consecutive years (1996,1997 and 1998). Mark has conducted a number of high profile concerts with top name soloists at both Haverhill Silver Band and Clacton-on-Sea Cooperative Band including David Childs, Tom Hutchinson, James Shepherd, David Thornton, Steve Sykes, Don Lusher and Peter Skellern.

As a player Mark, under the Direction of Keith Wilkinson, John Berryman and Bramwell Tovey, competed in all the major British contests with GUS including winning numerous area contests and the Best of Brass and placings at the British Open, the National Brass Band Finals and Granada Band of the Year.

Mark also has a long-standing love of local Drama and Musical Theatre. He is appearing in Made in Dagenham in Haverhill in June 2018, being produced by the Centre Stage Company, and has recently performed in the Vicar of Dibley and Brassed off (where he was also the Musical Adviser). He has been the Musical Director of a number of shows produced by Haverhill Operatics Society and Dunmow Players including Guys and Dolls, Mikado, Merry Widow and My Fair Lady. This included taking Dunmow Players to the Gilbert and Sullivan Buxton Festival and conducting their professional orchestra.

Musical Director Update!!

Musical Director Emeritus, Phillip Littlemore

We are delighted to welcome the return of Phillip Littlemore as our musical director and he will be at the helm until April 2022. Phillip is stepping in to the role following Michael Dawson’s departure due to personal reasons. 

Phillip originally joined Ware Brass as Musical Director in April 2006 and wanted to concentrate the bands efforts towards concert-giving and, with the band’s blessing, embarked on that path continuing to entertain the concert-goers of Ware as well as further afield. The Concert Spectaculars performed at the Drill Hall each November are stuff of legend and have included, among many, the Swinging 60s, Heroes & Villains, Star-Spangled Spectacular and Magic & Fantasy. Of course, Phillip and the band continued to compete in the Regional Championships each March and with Phillip’s musical direction the band was promoted to the 1st Section in January 2014.

In July 2017 Phillip and his family moved to the Isle of Wight. Therefore, after 11 years of outstanding collaboration it was time for Ware Brass Phillip to part.

As we find ourselves without a musical director for the next few months, Phillip has kindly agreed to take up the baton once more although this time he journey is a 220-mile round trip, with two ferry crossings – that’s dedication!

Carols by Candlelight @ Ware Priory – Sunday 19th December

Sun 19th December  Christmas Sing Along – Fletchers Lea, Ware Priory (3:30 – 4:30pm)

THIS EVENT WILL NOW BE HELD OUTSIDE

Join us for Carols by Candlelight in the open-air of the Priory grounds on Sunday, 19th December 2021. Entry is FREE, but wrap up warm, bring a candle & enjoy cosy treats from @ASL_Bridgets serving hot drinks, mulled wine & mince pies. ?

Good news – we are now back rehearsing !!!

Good news everybody, we are now back rehearsing and preparing for our first post Covid gigs in Sepetember. Starting with the Wendens Ambo village day on 4th Sept, followed by a concert in the Ware Priory Gardens on Sunday 12th Sept. Hope to see you all very soon !!

Kapitol Cory Online Brass Band Championships 2021

Ware Brass performed in the 2nd Section of the Kapitol Cory Online Brass Band Championships held on Friday 12th March 2021. This was a virtual contest and involved every member of the band recording their part for 3 pieces individually at home and then submitting them to be edited together. We performed Manhatten Skyline, Sir Duke – featuring an awesome vocal by the talented Tom Huttlestone and All Night Long.

You can view our video submissions here on our YouTube Channel if you missed the live action:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6LN-u_AMzPUWGg-XGFovvg/featured

This was a great comment we received on our performance from one of our followers on Twitter – It’s Not a Trumpet

Ware Brass Christmas Concert – Saturday 14th December

Ware Brass will be playing their annual Christmas Concert in St Mary’s Church, Ware on Saturday 14th December at 7pm.The music will be full of festive flavour to get you in to that Christmassy mood. Seasonal refreshments will be served during the interval where you can also take this opportunity to buy the Ware Brass CD Christmas…. At Last! What better way to wake up on Christmas morning and have the band play for you!

New MD Appointed!

Ware Brass are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Musical Director, Michael Dawson. Michael is a professional tuba player, conductor and teacher. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and on leaving performed regularly with the Hallé Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. During this time Michael also held positions at Faireys Band and solo Eb tuba at Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band.

Michael continues to work as a professional tuba and sousaphone player for orchestras and jazz / trad ensembles across the UK as well as recording for film and TV.

On his appointment, Michael said that he is extremely excited to be working with Ware Brass and driving towards an exciting future with the band.

Please come and welcome Michael to the band for his first concert as Musical Director on Saturday 14th December in St Mary’s Church, Ware. This will be an evening of Christmas music, mulled wine and mince pies. We look forward to hopefully seeing you there and an exciting and musical time ahead with Michael.

Strictly Ware Brass – Coming Saturday 16th November

We are now preparing for our big event of the year. This year the band enter the world of dance with their ‘strictly’ themed show on Saturday 16th November.   The evening will be packed full of dance themed music performed by the band, with different styles of dance being expertly demonstrated by the amazing Variety Express. Vocalists for the evening will be Thomas Huttlestone and the band’s president, Mr John Sharples, John will also be your compere for the evening.  So get ready for a night of glitter balls, dancing shoes, sparkles and glamour and grab your tickets now!

Follow the links below to follow the FaceBook event page or to purchase your tickets online via Eventbrite. 

CLICK HERE to go to the FaceBook event page

CLICK HERE to go to the Eventbrite page for ticket sales