Highley Colliery Brass Band

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The Highley Colliery Brass Band is a brass band in the small mining village of Highley.

[edit] History

The band existed since the turn of the 19th Century up until the closure of the colliery in 1969. Then, in 1993, a group of musicians and brass enthusiasts restarted a band in the village. Numbers have grown increasingly rapidly since then, and by 2001 the band was 25 strong. It was in the same year that the Band opted to change it's name to reflect the village's mining heritage. Due to health concerns, longstanding musical director Ray Millichamp stood down in August 2005 and handed control over to Ian Worton, fresh out of 14 years of professional music service in the Army's Worcestershire Regiment. During this period of change the Band has managed to establish itself as one of Shropshire's most sought after Bands and continues to go from strength to strength. The Band has recently undertaken a series of engagements in the nearby town of Bridgnorth. Indeed, the band has become Bridgnorth's local band following the demise of the town's own band some 5 years ago. The band also performs as far afield as the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham and at Abbey Park in Evesham. The band comprises the usual range of brass instruments from cornets to basses via euphoniums, baritones, trombones and tenor horns. The band recently acquired a new drumkit.

[edit] Young Blood

The band currently has several young members, two of whom currently sit on the front row of cornets. Youth is a vital to the band, with lessons for beginners commencing in September 2006.

[edit] External Links

• Official web site