Description

The Sevenoaks and Tonbridge Concert Band is a symphonic wind band based in Sevenoaks, Kent, but with its players drawn from a wide area. With a busy schedule of performances at different venues across the region, our repertoire ranges from original works for wind ensemble to arrangements of orchestral pieces, military band items and light music of various styles

Our Training Band offers an opportunity for less experienced players to develop their skills.

Formed in 1980, the Sevenoaks and Tonbridge Concert Band is well-known in the area’s musical community. As well as local players, it attracts musicians from further afield across Kent, and from East and West Sussex and south east London.

Our indoor concerts usually follow a theme, and explore a wide range of music chosen both to please the audience and to challenge to the players. They also enable us to raise money for selected local charities. From time to time the Band will support a noted guest soloist in a major work.

Through the summer the Band fulfils a busy schedule of performances on bandstands and at community events across south east England. We also programme concert tours in the UK and abroad, and occasional residential music workshops.

The Concert Band generally recruits experienced ensemble players, but our musicians range in age from school students to retired members. To support and develop less accomplished players, we also have a Training Band. Members of the Training Band are encouraged to join the Concert Band as they progress.

Membership of the Concert Band is open to all woodwind, brass and percussion players of at least Grade 7 standard with ensemble playing experience, subject to the need to maintain an appropriate balance between different sections.

There are no formal auditions, but we invite prospective new members to participate in three rehearsals to enable the Band to get to know you, and for you to get to know us. Membership is then at the discretion of the Musical Director. For more information please contact the Musical Director.

Our Training Band welcomes less experienced players, and aims to give them the opportunity to develop their skills. As with the Concert Band, we operate a trial period rather than holding auditions. For information about the Training Band please contact the Conductor.

Both bands rehearse weekly on Friday evenings during school term times at Knole Academy West, Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks TN13 3LE. Timings are as follows:
6:00 to 7:30pm: Training Band
7:45 to 9:45pm: Concert Band

A membership application form is available on the bands website.

Description

On 22nd September 1989 the IRA exploded a bomb at the Royal Marines School of Music in Deal that killed 11 Musicians and seriously injured 11 more. The Deal Memorial Bandstand Trust (Registered Charity No 1045095) exists to maintain The Memorial Bandstand (built in 1993) to stage a serious of 'free' public concerts on the Bandstand between May and September each year.

The Memorial Bandstand Trust is managed by a Board of 4 unpaid Trustees and a Committee of 14 volunteers, each of who bring significant experience and expertise to assure the competent governance of the charity and successfully stage concerts for the benefit of the public.

The aim of the concerts is to keep alive the memory of the 11 Royal Marines Musicians who were killed by the bomb. The Deal Memorial Bandstand is seen as a 'living' Royal Marines Memorial to those who died.

The Deal Memorial Bandstand is located on Walmer Green in Deal. It is a memorial to the 11 musicians killed when the Royal Marines barracks was bombed on 22nd September 1989. Eleven of the twelve-sided structure have engraved tablets bearing the names of those that lost their lives.

Concerts are performed on Sunday afternoons from May to September each year, commencing at 2.30pm. We also hold a Carol Concert each December.

The concerts are free of charge, as are the chairs, although we do hold a collection and sell raffle tickets to cover the costs of hiring the bands and towards the upkeep of the Bandstand.

We also have a Bandstand Chaplain - The Reverend Seth Cooper who is the vicar of St Marys and St Saviours churches in Walmer.

Walmer Green,

Deal,

Kent,

England,

CT14 7DX.