Latest News – Backworth Colliery Band

Coming in December …

Join Backworth Colliery Band and The Killingworth Community Choir for an evening of festive music to kick start your Xmas celebrations. Saturday 2nd December at 7pm. St John’s Church Killingworth Village.

5th November 2023

Happy birthday to our very own Teresa! We hope you have had a fab day 🎂🎈🍰🎊🎉🎁🥳

3rd November 2023

The band had an extra rehearsal this evening in preparation for the Festival of Brass contest taking place on Sunday. The band have worked really hard on the test piece and look forward to performing.

Festival of Brass 2023

Musical Fireworks set to return to the ever-popular Durham County Brass Band Association, Festival of Brass, that returns this weekend with a strong lineup of bands from across the north.

Fourteen bands will perform their own choice test pieces to the Adjudicator, Sam Fisher, making his debut at this event. An open contest with bands from across sections 4 to 1 will treat the audience and adjudicator to Performances that include

Percy Fletchers, An Epic Symphony.

Simon Dobsons, Penlee and,

Paul Lovatt Coppers, Fire in the Blood

to name only a few of the much-anticipated performances on Sunday, 5th November in the Lubetkin Theatre, of East Durham College, Peterlee. Co Durham. The contest starts at 10.15am.

“We at the Association are looking forward to a great day of music, once again in Peterlee. Our Festival of Brass is a highlight of the events presented by the hardworking committee throughout the year”

For any further information about this or any of the DCBBA activities please email dcbbacontact@gmail.com.

24th October 2023

Happy birthday to our MD Chris and also a belated happy birthday to our principal cornet player Stuart 🍾🎁🎉🎊🥳🍰🎈🎂

18th October 2033

Happy 40th Birthday to our Euphonium player David (sorry its late, should have posted yday) we hope u had a fantastic day and looking forward to celebrating on Saturday 🎊🎉🎁🍰🎈🎂🥳

11th October 2023

On Sunday 8th October the band played at the Stanley Entertainments Contest. We played a programme consisting of Chicken Run, Colours of the Wind, Defying Gravity featuring our fabulous Sop player Luke and finished off with Jurassic Park. Even though we placed 7th we received positive feedback from the adjudicators which the band can use and take forward for future performances

3rd October 2023

26th September 2023

Happy belated birthday to our cornet player Trevor. We hope you had a great day

24th September 2023

The band played at a Battle of Britain Remembrance service this afternoon. We played all the hymns and the National Anthem for the service and received positive feedback from different members of the congregation.

22nd September 2023

Happy birthday to one of our Euphonium players Karen! We hope you have had a fab day .

16th September 2023

Happy 21st birthday to our wonderful solo horn player Maria on behalf of all the band we hope you have a fantastic day x

19th August 2023

The band played at Royal Quays Marina Saturday 19th August. It’s was a great concert featuring a wide range of music and we received great feedback from the event organisers and audience.

15th August 2023

On Thursday 10th August, the band made their way over to Dalston in Carlise to play a concert in St Michaels Church. Dalston hold a week long Village festival every year and the band get asked to come back every year. It was a great evening featuring a wide range of music and some brilliant soloists.

10th August 2023

Cornet & Percussion Vacancies.

22nd July 2023 – Newcastle Pride

Some of the band members are taking part in the Pride march in Newcastle today.

21st July 2023- Cornet Vacancies

Cornet Vacancies.

16th July 2023 – North Tyneside Railway Museum

The band had a great time playing for the North Tyneside Railway Museum; the museum was busy and there was a lot of interest in the band as visitors viewed the exhibits and the old steam engines. Some of the band even went for a ride on an old steam engine. A great day had by all.

13th July 2023 – Band Birthday

Happy belated birthday to our 1st trombone player Ben!

8th July 2023 – Durham Miners Gala

The Durham Miners Gala is upon us and an early start to the day. We started off in Hetton at 7.30 and marched the banner through. We are now on the bus on our way into Durham.

1st July 2023 – Farewell Ollie

Today the Band said a very fond (and hopefully temporary) farewell to Ollie.

Ollie joined the band originally as a member of our Cornet section on the Front row. After joining the Band of the Fusiliers on Tuba, he soon switched to EEb Bass and has been a fantastic addition to our bass team ever since.

Over the past months Ollie has helped the band to a very respectable 4th place at the North of England Areas in March, in addition to our fantastic efforts at the Saddleworth Brass Band Contest. He has also been a regular feature as a Soloist, performing at Beamish, Redhouse Ramble and the Shiremoor treat to name a few. As a final present, the Band allowed Ollie the pleasure of conducting a March in his last job (however our Musical Director may have forgotten to inform him).

Everyone at Backworth Colliery Brass Band would like to wish our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to Ollie with whatever the future holds and extend a very warm welcome to him whenever he may find himself back in the North East.

28th June 2023 – Band Birthday

Happy Birthday to our Bb player Peter for the other day. We hope you had a great day

26th June 2023 – Collaboration with Backworth Male Voice Choir

Saturday evening saw the band and The Backworth Male Voice Choir come together and provide a fantastic evening of music. The church was full and a great evening was had by everyone involved.

26th June 2023 – The English Martyrs Catholic School in Hartlepool

On Saturday 24th June, a small group of the band played at a celebration mass for The English Martyrs Catholic School in Hartlepool.

22nd June 2023 – Band Birthday

Happy 21st birthday to our Eb bass player Ollie!

18th June 2023 – Beamish Contest

The band joined many others today at a contest at Beamish. Fun was had by all.

3rd June 2023 – Whit Friday Contest

Whit Friday meaning White Friday, getting its name from the 1st Friday after pentecost or Whitsun and is the date of the annual Whit Walks which coincides with Brass Band Contests held in Saddleworth and Tameside.

The Whit Friday Marches are often described as ‘the greatest free show on earth’ and attracts brass bands from all over the country to take part, often over 100 bands entering.

There are prizes awarded for different criteria and is overall a great day out for all involved.

The band enjoyed a great day and a good time was had by all. We played at our 1st village Uppermill at 4.30pm and finished with our 6th at Freizland at 10.15pm.