Congratulations to Professor David King and the Brighouse and Rastrick Band for what has been described as a sparkling performance at the Royal Albert Hall National Brass Band Championship final in London yesterday to clinch the national title.

A few days ago it was reported that the American music arranger, Mark Freeh had passed away.  Mark was the son of Salvation Army officers and brought up in the Salvation Army musical traditions. He often stated that his musical mentor was Erik Leidzen. 

With the 2017 British Open brass band championship having seen only the third band from overseas to be crowned champions. It will be interesting to just reflect on the first one that won this prestigious prize the coveted British Open title. 

   Looking back to those pre-First World War halcyon days of the annual excursions to what many affectionately knew as ‘…the show ground of the world …’, otherwise known as the Belle Vue Zoological Gardens. The very mention of this magical place will instantly conjure up images of Bank Holidays treats, Sunday School outings and the hustle and bustle of packed railway platforms. The smell of impatiently waiting steam engines bellowing out their thick grey clouds of smoke, the sound of children laughing and shouting in anticipation of the expectant splendour that awaited them at Belle Vue.