Following success utilising the our Fundraising Service, we are happy to be supporting BBE member band Burbage Band (Buxton) on the delivery and promotion of their Burbage Works project, which is already well underway.
The project is set to continue with a unique event at Manchester’s prestigious performance venue Stoller Hall on Saturday 14 September. Burbage Works - A Musical Journey will combine live music with audio-visual storytelling to offer insights into the band’s heritage. From its long unbroken history of performing, to its role as an early pioneer of welcoming women players, the story offers a chance for all banders to learn something about the history of the movement through Burbage’s unique perspective.
Sam Pollard, band member and the programme’s primary composer and arranger, commented: “Burbage Band has played an integral part in its community, and indeed the wider development of brass banding, for over 160 years. It has trained and nurtured musical talent for generations, even staying together in the First World War when members took their instruments to the battlefields.”
Award-winning entertainment
The Stoller Hall concert follows on from recent local performances including an award-winning (Recognition of Excellence - large music ensemble) performance at the Buxton Festival Fringe.
The Buxton Fringe reviewer Brian K W Lightowler commented: "Burbage Works’ was no ordinary brass band concert; more a multi facetted presentation outlining the history of the Burbage Brass Band. The evening was part of the culmination of considerable research into the foundation, development and community impact of the local brass band and an insight into the brass band world nationally."
Beth Lambert, our BBE Fundraising Manager who helped secure the project’s funding, added: “The Burbage Works' is a spectacular, insightful and now award winning performance, with something for everyone to enjoy. You don't need to be a brass band aficionado to appreciate the quality of the music on offer, and the story telling is both educational and informative. There are some wonderful surprises too! I thoroughly enjoyed the first performance at the Buxton Fringe Festival. I laughed, cried, sang and cheered. It was a truly unforgettable evening. Don't miss the opportunity to see it again at Stoller Hall, it really is not to be missed.”
Manchester performance this September
Sam told us: “Following some excellent performances in Derbyshire, I’m thrilled that we’re able to take this project further afield to offer the opportunity for more music and history-lovers to hear our story.”
The performance will include a narrated history and archive photography, highlighting some of the particularly interesting and important contributions the band has made over the course of its history. The program will also include the unique opportunity to hear a mid-1800’s piece played on authentic brass instruments from the era.
Steve Critchlow, longest serving member of the band and its Musical Director for the past thirty years, said: “The Burbage Works project is a chance to tell something of our history and also show off the talent we have today. We are hugely proud of what the band has achieved over the years and the contribution we continue to make across Buxton and beyond. I’m greatly looking forward to sharing our story with those who come along and I hope that the project inspires other bands to delve into their own heritage.”
The performance at Stoller Hall, Manchester takes place at 7.30pm on Saturday September 14. Tickets are available through the Stoller Hall website.
The project has received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England. Historic instruments for the performance are provided by Andrew Kershaw.