The Brass Brigade

Big thanks to those Brass Brigade members who could come along this morning to support the launch of Harrogate’s bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028. We had a blast!

Momentous day as Harrogate submits its entry in £3m contest to be UK Town of Culture 2028

🎅 Christmas is nearly here! ❄️

The Brass Brigaders from Wetherby and Harrogate got together last weekend, performing as part of the Christmas concert with the brilliant Harrogate Band and , right here at St John Fisher Catholic Academy. 🎺

35 young brass players performed Christmas favourites including Away in a Manger and Good King Wenceslas, along with our renditions of Firework and Sing Hosanna (in a Christmas style!). To finish the concert, all three groups came together for Jingle Bells and We Wish You A Merry Christmas, with nearly 150 people playing and singing together! 🤩

The project continues to go from strength to strength and we now have well over 50 young people who have taken up a brass instrument since September 2024.

Big thanks go to all who have helped and supported the project in 2025. Namely our project lead, St. John Fisher, partner bands The Harrogate Band and Wetherby Silver Band and Harrogate International Festivals. 🙏🙏



Photos courtesy of Emma Brunt at BruntPhotographyhgt

WHAT A BLAST! 💥

Tonight we had the great pleasure of performing at the annual charity bonfire and fireworks on the Stray in Harrogate. 🎧

Organised by the fantastic Harrogate Round Table, this was our opportunity to say thank you to them for supporting the Brass Brigade and for their very generous donation towards our community project. We are so grateful! 🙏

Playing 5 numbers on the main stage, some of those playing only played a brass instrument for the first time 7 weeks ago! They were all absolutely brilliant and showed no fear with all the microphones, lights and a large crowd. Our special arrangement Firework by Katy Perry seemed to go down a treat! 🎶

Also big thanks to our helpers from Harrogate Band and Wetherby Silver Band who supported with the performance and set up. 🎺

Massive congratulations go to all the team at the Round Table for another superb community evening. Thank you for inviting us! 🎆

St Robert’s were the first school the project visited last year and yet again they’ve absolutely smashed it! 🎺

It was a great pleasure to go back in again and see some familiar faces from last year supporting a new class who have had the opportunity to learn how to read music and play a brass instrument. Super hard-working and so much concentration! 🎶

We’re so looking forward to supporting the next group of young brass players who are coming along to the Brass Brigade Harrogate.

Top work! 🌟

Brass Brigade day is our favourite day too! Some brilliant music making so far.

🎺

Great to see some new faces at Brass Brigade Harrogate last night following our in school work with St Robert's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy and Oatlands Junior School this term.

Hopefully lots of new starters!

WE WON!

We couldn’t be prouder to announce that this evening The Brass Brigade won the Brass Bands England award for Band Project of the Year. 🥇

To all the young people who have experienced playing an instrument in primary schools since September 2024 and to those who have started playing properly and joined a Brass Brigade group, this is for you. 🎺

Huge thanks to all those who voted across our primary schools and of course to our project lead St John Fisher Catholic High School. We are so grateful. 🗳️

To the members of Harrogate Band and Wetherby Silver Band and our friends at Harrogate International Festivals who have supported the beginnings of this project, thank you. 🙏

We’ll give you an update on what’s happening in 2025-2026 very soon, but for now, Brass Brigaders celebrate! 🥳

We’re on our way! Delighted to be attending the awards ceremony later on in which we were nominated for The Band Project of the Year award.

🎺 LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO GO! 🗳

If you haven't already, please don't forget to vote for us in the Brass Bands England 'Band Project of the Year' award! Voting closes at 5pm tomorrow afternoon and takes less than 20 seconds.

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