(above) Alveley Village Band members entertaining on a local bandstand in 2010.

About the Band:

Colin Jones, M.B.E., founded the Band in 1990. It has some 60 participants, aged between 5 and 85 years inclusive of junior groups. Players of any age and any level of experience are welcome to join. Music is specially written or arranged, thus beginners can play alongside experienced musicians. The Band includes players of any instrument, and the current range consists of brass, woodwind, strings, keyboards, guitars and percussion.

Alveley Village Band is probably unique: a majority of the original members come from the village of Alveley, and several entire families belong.

The musical repertoire is wide-ranging, from the classics to popular music, music from films and shows, and contemporary original compositions.

The Band is available for Concerts, Fetes and other functions. Enquiries about booking the Band for a concert, fete or other function, contact Sue Williams, Secretary, on 01746 761 304.

Our Performances:

The Band gives Concerts and plays at fetes and other functions. Recent venues include St. Mary's Church, Alveley, St Mary's and St. Leonard's Churches, Bridgnorth, Kidderminster Town Hall, Dudmaston Hall, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Himley Hall and a variety of local bandstands and parks.

Our Composers and Arrangers:
Internationally-known composer, Judith Weir, CBE, has written several pieces for Alveley Village Band. Colin Jones, MBE, composed and arranged an extensive range of music, and his son (and former Band member) composer Dr. Nicholas Jones, PhD, regularly writes for the Band. Alwyn Green, Bass Trombonist with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and former band Musical Director Phil Harrison (former Principal Trombone of the CBSO) have also written for us. Members of the band also arrange music and have stepped in to conduct the band. In 2012, London-based composer and orchestrator Stephen Mark Barchan will complete new transcriptions for the Band.

Funding:
Alveley Village Band has been generously supported in the past by the Lottery through the Arts Council of England; also West Midlands Arts, Bridgnorth District Council, the Whittall Meadows Trust, Alveley Parish Council and other local organisations and individuals. The Band also raises money from a number of its performances each year. A termly membership is paid by band members to maintain the running costs and projects such as investing in music and special events.

Links with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra:
The Band has undertaken four progammes of workshops, leading to Concerts, with players from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, as part of the Orchestra's Community Education Programme.

The Band is now conducted by Mr Iain Masson (07949 089 319) who has been the Band's Musical Director since January 2006. He is assisted by an elected committee who are responsible for the running of the Band. Recent guest conductors include Rachel Greenwood, Christopher Evans, Richard Commander and Matthew Leach, the Band's chairman.

In 2008 the band appeared on ITV's 'Noplace Like Home?' and recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. The band is currently preparing for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee summer celebrations 2012.

For all enquiries, contact Sue Williams, Secretary, on 01746 761 304. Click here to join online.