A brass band is hoping to bolster its ranks by bringing back the development class which sparked many members’ love of music.
Watford Brass Band, which has been playing for 125 years, is introducing Brass Beats from today (January 19).
The new band is aimed primarily at children who are starting to learn a brass instrument and want to make new friends by playing as part of a group but is open to anyone.
Band manager Karen Dovey said the development band was her own way into music and added that she had made “lifelong friendships” through it.
Karen, who joined the band in 1987, said: “It’s fun. I was playing music and making new friends at the same time.
“A lot of it is the friends I met, even some who aren’t still in the band are lifelong friends.”
“I was 10 when I first started playing and my music teacher played in the band and encouraged me to join the junior band. There’s still quite a few of us from that junior band that are still there.”
Practice will see children and adults develop their skills on brass or percussion instruments on Thursdays, from 6.30pm to 7.15pm in the Lincolnsfield Centre, Bushey.
Former Watford Brass Band conductor Martyn France says he is “thrilled” to be taking the sessions.
Martyn was the main band’s musical director from 2003 until 2007, when it achieved much success in contests and reached national finals in 2006.
Anyone interested in joining is asked to contact Karen on 07796175838 or email brassbeats@watfordband.org.uk .
Karen said: “I’m a true believer that playing music is good for mental health”.
She added that playing music can help people, especially young people get away from any stresses in their life and just enjoy themselves.
“It teaches children how to work as a team and is a good social environment”, she added.
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Since many of the Watford Brass Band’s members came through the development band, membership has fallen off after it stopped running, with just 20 people playing in what should be a 25-person band.
The members hope that bringing it back will help bring in more future musicians and lifelong friends to keep the 125-year history going for a new generation.
The band offers instrument loans for those who don’t have their own.
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