The band really started in 1956 when Bill Sparkes, who only hung up his trombone last year at the age of 89, and three of his friends got together to form a trombone quartet under the name of the Sparkenham Trombones.

They were very successful winning 47 cups and plaques in 52 competitions. In fact they were so successful that they were accused of not being a band and also of being professionals, which they were not.

The outcome was that they were banned from competing, so the quartet decided to regularise their position and form a full band. In 1960 they placed an advert in The Citizen asking if anyone wanted to be in a brass band and they had enough replies to form a band, thus the Gloucester Excelsior was born.

Practices were held at the British Legion Hall near the Cathedral and so the band was named the Gloucester British Legion Band. Later this was changed to the Glevum Band and still later the band became the Gloucester Excelsior Band.

Over the years, in addition to playing in various parks and at fetes, the band has competed in a number of competitions such as The Phoenix Brass Festival, Coleford and the Hungerford Entertainment Competitions.

The band is very much a family band with young players attracting their parents to try their hand at brass playing and at any one time we have children and parents all playing in the band, in fact several families have enough expertise to almost form a small band of their own!

Our repertoire is as varied as the ages of the band members and covers traditional brass music such as marches, as well as classical, swing and jazz. We really enjoy playing big band music and film themes which have been adapted for brass.

We meet every friday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Christchurch, Heron Way, Abbeydale GL4 5EQ. New members and visitors are always given a warm welcome.