History
There has been a band in Sidmouth for over 150 years, with the earliest record being a picture of the band taken in 1862.
By the turn of the century, the Band had become part of the local Army Volunteers, and had mixed brass and woodwind instruments. By 1908, the band was changing back to all brass instruments and in 1911 the transformation was complete.
The band was forced to put their kit away in 1914, but reformed in 1919, winning prizes in 1929, 1930 and 1931 at Crystal Palace. History repeated itself in 1939, when the instruments were laid aside once again and many of the band went off to war. In 1947, the band was reformed, becoming affiliated to the SWBBA.
Since then, the band has enjoyed a happy and successful time. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of both the band and the Musical Director over the past decade, we were promoted to the Third Section in 2008, progressed to the Second Section in 2012 and gained promotion to the First Section from January 2017.
In addition to competing in contests throughout the year, we hold our regular summer concerts in the Connaught Gardens in Sidmouth, starting at 8pm every Sunday night from late May through to September. The increasing popularity of these concerts, attracting visitors from across the region, together with recent contest successes, demonstrates the huge improvement the band has made over recent years. One of the most rewarding aspects of playing in this band is the support we have from our audiences, with regular faces, feedback and encouragement reflecting the relationships we have built up over the years. Sidmouth Town Band has a close relationship with the town council and local community. We perform a range of civic duties, including Remembrance Parades and church services, as well as supporting the Sidmouth Folk Festival and local charity events.
We rehearse every Tuesday and Friday from 8.00-10.00pm in our own band room. There is a training band, and a number of children now regularly attend our Brass Academy. We play a range of music, both popular and challenging, and we update our extensive music library every year.
