2026 Brass Training Day
The 2026 Brass Training Day will take place on Sunday 25th October at Hellesden High School, Norwich where the tutors will be from the Foden's Band. Enrolment forms are available from the Association Secretary.
Email: administration@eabba.org.uk.
The Association is grateful for the support of T & R Direct Insurance Services, Norfolk County Council and Roger David Burrows Music Fund.
2027 Bass Workshop
A Bass Workshop will be held on the morning of Sunday 15th May in the Norwich area (venue to be confirmed). The tutor will be Shaun Crowther from the Brighouse & Rastrick Band. Further details to follow.
2027 Gala Concert
In 2027 the Association welcomes the Brighouse & Rastrick Band to perform its 88th Annual Gala Concert. The concert will take place on Sunday 15th May at The Citadel, 34-36 St Giles Street, Norwich, NR2 1LL commencing at 3.30pm. Details on how to purchase tickets will follow in due course.
2026 Gala Concert by Foden's Band
Foden's Band performed the Association's 87th Gala Concert on Sunday 3rd May at the Citadel, Norwich. In a well received concert the band performed a wide variety of music commencing with Berlioz's Le Corsair and including a number of notable solos. The band also included 'Exodus - Moses in Egypt a number of pieces of music composed and arranged by Jonathan Bates bringing one of the most famous biblical stories to life. This had been played by Foden's Band at Brass In Concert in 2025 and had received the 'Audience Vote' as to being the most entertaining/enjoyable music programme at that event.
The Association would like to express its thanks to Michael Fowles and the members of Foden's Band.
2026 Trombone Workshop
On Sunday 3rd May a Trombone Workshop took place at the St Faith's Centre, Horsham St Faith led by Shaun Farrington, the Bass Trombone of Foden's Band. Delegates agreed the workshop had been very enjoyable and informative.
Thanks to Shaun for such a successful workshop.
2025 Brass Training Day
The East Anglian Brass Band Association held its Annual
Brass Training Day on Sunday at Hellesdon High School, Norwich. The tutors from
Grimethorpe Colliery Band were Ben Dixon (Course Leader/Basses), Tim Pannell
(Front Row Cornets and Sopranos), Andy Holmes (Back Row Cornets), Helen Varley
(Flugels and Horns), Mark Glover (Euphoniums and Baritones) and Chris Gomersall
(Trombones). The music studied included Valero, The Journal of Phileas Fogg,
The Lord Bless You and Keep You and Carnival of Venice.
Association Secretary Christine Wade said “It was a
fantastic day. Sixty-five delegates had enrolled for the course. It was fully
booked well in advance of the event and we had to say sorry, no to some
players. What a privilege it was to have the opportunity to accompany Mark
Glover in his superb performance of Carnival of Venice. The feedback from
delegates has been very positive. Many thanks to all the tutors.’
The Association also wishes to thank Norfolk County Council
and Postcode Places Trust for their support of the event.
Helen and Glyn Williams Milestone Tour Workshop
On Saturday 5th July the East Anglian Brass Band Association was delighted to host a Workshop with Helen and Glyn Williams for flugels/cornets and euphoniums/baritones at Hempnall Village Hall. The Workshop was the first event in Helen and Glyn's Milestone Tour. Twenty-nine delegates had enrolled for the Workshop. For some it was their first time at such an event. All delegates had an informative and enjoyable day and were delighted to be able to listen to Helen and Glyn perform to them. Comments from delegates included 'it was a brilliant day, a lovely day and a great day'.
Thank you to Helen and Glyn for such a good day and to Adams
Musical Instruments for their financial support of the event.
2025 Gala Concert by Grimethorpe Colliery Band
What a fantastic concert by Grimethorpe Colliery Band at The
Citadel, Norwich for the Association's 86th Annual Gala Concert. The
concert commenced with Soaring The Heights by Christopher Bond and concluded
with the Finale from Symphony No. 4 by Tchaikovsky. In between the music
included stunning performances by the soloists, the beautiful Prelude On
Lavenham, Toccata in D Minor and as everyone hoped for some of the music from
'Brassed Off'.
Thank you to Ben Dixon and the members of Grimethorpe
Colliery Band for a memorable afternoon.
The Association is grateful to Postcode Places Trust for the
support of their events during 2025.
2025 Tenor Horn Workshop
On Sunday 25th May the Association held its first ever Tenor
Horn Workshop led by the talented Helen Varley, Principal Tenor Horn player of
Grimethorpe Colliery Band. Twenty tenor horn players from across East
Anglia were in attendance to learn from and listen to advice from Helen on
topics such as warm ups, warm downs, breathing etc. The group worked on two
pieces of music Never Gonna Give You Up and Tequila!. As one of the tenor horn
players at the workshop said 'it was a very informative and enjoyable
workshop. Thank you Helen'.
The Association is grateful to the Roger David Burrows Music
Fund for supporting this event.
After the workshop it was off to the Norwich Citadel for the
afternoon concert by Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
2024 Brass Training Day
Sunday 27th October was the East Anglian Brass
Band Association’s Annual Brass Training Day held at Hellesdon High School in
Norwich. Approximately 50 delegates had enrolled for the course. The tutors
were from the Brighouse & Rastrick Band. Mike Eccles was Course Leader and
flugel and tenor horn tutor. Section tutors were Tom Smith (front row cornet
and soprano), Bethan Plant (back row cornet), Chris Robertson (baritone and
euphonium), Ellena Newton (trombone) and Shaun Crowther (bass). Delegates
enjoyed rehearsing Abide With Me, Run To The Hills, Be Thou My Vision,
Nightingale Dances and The Land Of The Mountain And The Flood. Delegates were
privileged to accompany Tom Smith in the cornet solo The Paragon.
Delegates found the day informative and very enjoyable.
Thank you to Mike Eccles and the team.
2024 Gala Concert by the Brighouse & Rastrick Band
The Association is delighted to welcome back to Norwich the Brighouse & Rastrick Band to perform its Annual Gala Concert. The concert will take place on Sunday 2nd June at The Citadel, 34-36 St Giles Street, Norwich, NR2 1LL commencing at 3.00pm.
Tickets are priced at £16.00. For ticket information telephone 07934169721 or email administration@eabba.org.uk.
2024 Cornet workshop
On Sunday 2nd June commencing at 10.30am there will be a workshop for cornet players at Norfolk Police Training Centre, Hethersett Old Hall, Hethersett, Norwich NR9 3DW. The workshop will be led by the Principal Cornet of the Brighouse & Rastrick Band, Tom Smith. The cost to delegates is £25.00 per person (£20.00 per person for members of bands belonging to EABBA). Delegates will receive a free ticket to Brighouse & Rastrick’s concert at The Citadel, 34-36 St Giles Street, Norwich, NR2 1LL commencing at 3.00pm.
Booking forms can be obtained by emailing administration@eabba.org.uk.
Grant from Postcode Places Trust
The East Anglian Brass Band Association is delighted to be awarded a grant of £1,850.00 from Postcode Places Trust, a grant giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
Christine Wade, the Association’s Secretary said “The Trustees are delighted and very grateful to have received the grant from Postcode Places Trust. The Association has been in existence for over 90 years and each year since its formation (except during the Second World War and Covid) has presented a concert in East Anglia by one of the top brass bands in the country. In addition for many years the Association has organised a Brass Training Day with tutors from the top bands for the benefit of brass musicians from across East Anglia. The grant from Postcode Places Trust will be used towards some of the costs incurred in presenting these events”.
Postcode Places Trust is a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The East Anglian Brass Band Association received £1,850 from the Postcode Places Trust which will be used towards future events.
Postcode Places Trust - www.postcodeplacestrust.org.uk
People Postcode Lottery - www.postcodelottery.co.uk
