Camborne Brass
News
February 2026
Last November we competed in the SW Brass Band Association Contest in Torquay, for the first time since 2017. As it was “Own Choice” we decided on Edward Gregson’s “Variations on Laudate Dominum”. We were pleased to come 5th in our section and received positive feedback from the adjudicators. We all felt it was valuable experience, especially for some of our younger players with less experience of the contest stage.
The Christmas carolling season was busy as usual, with various engagements round the county - more often than not in the rain! Our new Beginners’ Group (which only started in September) made such impressive progress in their first few weeks that they were ready to perform their own piece at our annual Christmas Concert at Camborne Conservative Club. The “Magnificent Seven” as Alan named them, gave a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bells”. This undoubtedly received the loudest applause of the afternoon, plus an encore!
2026 started off well with a joint concert with Redruth Amateur Operatic Society Trust, held at Camborne School in January. This attracted a bigger audience than last year, and everyone involved really enjoyed it. We also held our annual Solo and Quartet Contest the same weekend. This was adjudicated by John Hitchens of Camborne Town Band. Members of 8 different bands took part across several classes, and it was great to see some new faces and hear very talented playing.
We are currently focusing all our efforts on preparing for the Areas contest in Torquay on 14th March. Our testpiece for this is Philip Harper’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, based on Jules Verne’s classic tale, which band members are currently reading in the hope of inspiration!
January 2025
We had the usual busy run-up to Christmas. In addition to our usual engagements such as Truro Festive Friday, Illogan Christmas Lights Parade, Camborne School Year 7 Carol Service, playing outside Tesco Extra, and Late Night Shopping in Truro, we were invited to play at some other venues. One of these was Bradfords Building Supplies in Pool. They were very welcoming and keen to make us feel Christmassy to the extent that they even managed to make it snow, which was the last thing we expected (especially as we were indoors!)
Another new experience for us was playing at Baldhu Chapel’s Carol Service and Christingle Workshop on 1st December. The weather could have been kinder, but the congregation bravely sat outside anyway. It was lovely to accompany the singing. We were also pleased to take part in Tolvaddon Fire Station Christmas Lights Switch-On, which was jampacked with very excited children and brimming with festive spirit.
Now that we are well into the New Year we are focusing on our test-piece, Oliver Waespi’s “Friendly Takeover”, in the hope of doing well at the Areas in Torquay on 9th March. In this 3 movement piece the composer experiments with lyrical motives combined with rhythmical pulses in different meters. In the finale, the musical scene is taken over completely by groove-based rhythms. Thus, one gets the impression of an ongoing acceleration throughout the piece.
August 2024
This summer we have held concerts at venues around the county including Crowan Church, Camborne Conservative Club, St Aubyn Arms, Camborne Show, St Ives and St Mawes. We particularly enjoyed leading the carnival parade through St Mawes which was a new experience for us, and which was so successful that we were asked there and then to put it in our diary for 2025. There can't be many people in Cornwall now who haven't found themselves up and dancing to "Agadoo" and the "Birdie Song", as you can see on our Facebook page! These proved such a hit last year that we brought them back for a second summer by popular request. It has been great to see so many people enjoying our performances, and we are very grateful as always for your support.
June 2024
We had a memorable trip at the end of May to the Whit Friday Marches in Saddleworth, seven years after our first visit in 2017. It was very busy with a huge number of bands taking part. The Whit Friday Marches are famously known as “the greatest free show on earth”, and it was a great chance to hear some amazing playing from the other bands as well as enjoying the atmosphere and flying the flag for Camborne with our marches “On the Quarter Deck”, and “Senator”.
25th April
Our Solo Contest held on 20th April was a great sucess. Thank you to those who took part.
26th March 2024
Solo Contest Details Announced.
26th February 2024
The band are now working on the test piece ready for the areas in Torquay on the 9th March.
6th November 2023
We now have a date for our Christmas Concert
22nd August 2023
We are delighted to share details of the fantastic support being offered by Duchy Brass to help us get some new stand banners.
13th August 2023
We have had a very successful summer to date, with concerts at Camborne Conservative Club, St Aubyn Arms, Victoria Gardens, Camborne Show, St Ives and Perranporth.
Audiences are enjoying this year’s repertoire which features several new pieces for the band. The crowd-pleaser has definitely been our rendition of the “Birdie Song”! This was particularly well-received at St Ives where a harbourful of holiday-makers danced along to it. A couple of visitors who play in bands back home enjoyed it so much that they turned up at our next band practice.
We have some more engagements around the county in August and September, so do look out for us.
22nd March 2023
We are now working on some fantastic pieces in preperation for our upcoming events.
22nd February 2023
Following on from the fantastic weekend where we had both the solo contest and Penventon concert with our guest Soloist Tom Smith the band are now into full swing with rehersals for the Regional Areas at Torquay on 11th March.
Last November we competed in the SW Brass Band Association Contest in Torquay, for the first time since 2017. As it was “Own Choice” we decided on Edward Gregson’s “Variations on Laudate Dominum”. We were pleased to come 5th in our section and received positive feedback from the adjudicators. We all felt it was valuable experience, especially for some of our younger players with less experience of the contest stage.
The Christmas carolling season was busy as usual, with various engagements round the county - more often than not in the rain! Our new Beginners’ Group (which only started in September) made such impressive progress in their first few weeks that they were ready to perform their own piece at our annual Christmas Concert at Camborne Conservative Club. The “Magnificent Seven” as Alan named them, gave a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bells”. This undoubtedly received the loudest applause of the afternoon, plus an encore!
2026 started off well with a joint concert with Redruth Amateur Operatic Society Trust, held at Camborne School in January. This attracted a bigger audience than last year, and everyone involved really enjoyed it. We also held our annual Solo and Quartet Contest the same weekend. This was adjudicated by John Hitchens of Camborne Town Band. Members of 8 different bands took part across several classes, and it was great to see some new faces and hear very talented playing.
We are currently focusing all our efforts on preparing for the Areas contest in Torquay on 14th March. Our testpiece for this is Philip Harper’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, based on Jules Verne’s classic tale, which band members are currently reading in the hope of inspiration!
January 2025
We had the usual busy run-up to Christmas. In addition to our usual engagements such as Truro Festive Friday, Illogan Christmas Lights Parade, Camborne School Year 7 Carol Service, playing outside Tesco Extra, and Late Night Shopping in Truro, we were invited to play at some other venues. One of these was Bradfords Building Supplies in Pool. They were very welcoming and keen to make us feel Christmassy to the extent that they even managed to make it snow, which was the last thing we expected (especially as we were indoors!)
Another new experience for us was playing at Baldhu Chapel’s Carol Service and Christingle Workshop on 1st December. The weather could have been kinder, but the congregation bravely sat outside anyway. It was lovely to accompany the singing. We were also pleased to take part in Tolvaddon Fire Station Christmas Lights Switch-On, which was jampacked with very excited children and brimming with festive spirit.
Now that we are well into the New Year we are focusing on our test-piece, Oliver Waespi’s “Friendly Takeover”, in the hope of doing well at the Areas in Torquay on 9th March. In this 3 movement piece the composer experiments with lyrical motives combined with rhythmical pulses in different meters. In the finale, the musical scene is taken over completely by groove-based rhythms. Thus, one gets the impression of an ongoing acceleration throughout the piece.
August 2024
This summer we have held concerts at venues around the county including Crowan Church, Camborne Conservative Club, St Aubyn Arms, Camborne Show, St Ives and St Mawes. We particularly enjoyed leading the carnival parade through St Mawes which was a new experience for us, and which was so successful that we were asked there and then to put it in our diary for 2025. There can't be many people in Cornwall now who haven't found themselves up and dancing to "Agadoo" and the "Birdie Song", as you can see on our Facebook page! These proved such a hit last year that we brought them back for a second summer by popular request. It has been great to see so many people enjoying our performances, and we are very grateful as always for your support.
June 2024
We had a memorable trip at the end of May to the Whit Friday Marches in Saddleworth, seven years after our first visit in 2017. It was very busy with a huge number of bands taking part. The Whit Friday Marches are famously known as “the greatest free show on earth”, and it was a great chance to hear some amazing playing from the other bands as well as enjoying the atmosphere and flying the flag for Camborne with our marches “On the Quarter Deck”, and “Senator”.
25th April
Our Solo Contest held on 20th April was a great sucess. Thank you to those who took part.
26th March 2024
Solo Contest Details Announced.
26th February 2024
The band are now working on the test piece ready for the areas in Torquay on the 9th March.
6th November 2023
We now have a date for our Christmas Concert
22nd August 2023
We are delighted to share details of the fantastic support being offered by Duchy Brass to help us get some new stand banners.
13th August 2023
We have had a very successful summer to date, with concerts at Camborne Conservative Club, St Aubyn Arms, Victoria Gardens, Camborne Show, St Ives and Perranporth.
Audiences are enjoying this year’s repertoire which features several new pieces for the band. The crowd-pleaser has definitely been our rendition of the “Birdie Song”! This was particularly well-received at St Ives where a harbourful of holiday-makers danced along to it. A couple of visitors who play in bands back home enjoyed it so much that they turned up at our next band practice.
We have some more engagements around the county in August and September, so do look out for us.
22nd March 2023
We are now working on some fantastic pieces in preperation for our upcoming events.
22nd February 2023
Following on from the fantastic weekend where we had both the solo contest and Penventon concert with our guest Soloist Tom Smith the band are now into full swing with rehersals for the Regional Areas at Torquay on 11th March.
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