Welcome To The Ampthill Town Brass Band Website
Ampthill Town Band is a friendly, non-contesting brass band that has been supporting and entertaining the communities of Ampthill and surrounding villages for over 180 years. It is currently a UK charitable organisation (Charity No. 1206280) located in Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
Our players are of all ages and abilities and band rehearsals usually take place on Tuesday evenings (7.30pm – 9.30pm) at Ampthill Baptist Church.
New and visiting players are always welcome.
The band can be booked for a variety of public and private events and performs a busy programme of engagements throughout the year, such as school and village fetes, church services, carols, charity fund raising events and entertainment concerts.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the band, would like to attend a rehearsal, or would like to book the band for an engagement please contact our band secretary.
Latest News
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VE Day 80th Anniversary
Its been a busy week for the band this week supporting the VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations with performances at the Jigsaw Club, Ampthill Lighting Of the Beacon Ceremony, Flitton & Greenfield VE Gala Day and Ampthill Park Concert
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Christmas Concert
Time to book your tickets for our annual Christmas Concert!
We sold out the venue last year so we will be hosting our concert in the Connolly Hall at Redborne School. We are joined by Harlington and Sundon schools.
Tickets are available from TicketSource via the following link:
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Young Band Musician Honours Armistice Day
We are very proud of our young cornet player Vito and his performance of ‘The Last Post’ in partnership with CBC Inspiring Music to honour the courage and commitment of those who gave their lives for our freedom.
You can view his performance here: https://fb.watch/vNZgyKx7ba/
Upcoming Engagements
The band has a busy schedule of performances throughout the year supporting local organisations and events
March 2025
9th @ 2.00pm – St Andrews Church, Ampthill – Ampthill Civic Service
May 2025
1st @ 7.00pm – Village Hall, Flitwick – Jigsaw Club Concert
10th @ 1.00pm – Village Hall, Flitton – Flitton & Greenfield Gala
11th @ 2.00pm – Ampthill Park Hub – VE Day Concert
18th @ 2.00pm – Ampthill Park Hub – Spring Concert
June 2025
1st @ 2.00pm – Kings Arms Gardens, Ampthill – Concert
13th @ 2.00pm – Alameda Middle School, Ampthill – Ampthill Big Tent Event
Nov 2025
30th @ 4.00pm – The Green, Clophill – Christmas Light Switch On
Our History
The band has its origins in a chamber ensemble formed in the 1840’s, allegedly to celebrate a royal visit to the town. By the end of the 19th century this had metamorphosed into a brass and woodwind band. By the 1930’s, cornets displaced clarinets and a brass band emerged.
The band today serves the local community by providing music services for local occasions, such as the Remembrance Parade, Christmas Carols around the Christmas tree and in St Andrews on Christmas Eve, as well as school and village fetes. Having played in the inaugural Ampthill Proms in the Park in 2009 we have played in each one since.
The first performance of the band outside the British Isles was in 2016 at Nissan-lez-Enserune, situated in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France where the Band participated in an exchange trip to Ampthill’s official twin town.
Our Players
The band’s musical director is Mark Lowe. Mark is an experienced euphonium player, having graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire with a Master in Performance and he has conducted a range of ensembles, especially brass bands. He has been a peripatetic brass teacher for over 10 years and recently relocated to Bedfordshire.
| Musical Director/ Conductor | Mark Lowe |
| Soprano Cornet | Rosemary Fisher |
| Solo Cornets | Louis Sherry (Principal) David Fisher Jackie Pratt Philip Hardy Gary Wood |
| Repiano Cornet | Laura Boughton Victoria Blunt |
| 2nd Cornets | Paul Roberts Vacancy |
| 3rd Cornets | Vito Kidman Vacancy |
| Flugel Horn | Steve Hill |
| Solo Horn | Rachel Bartholomew Henry Stoney |
| 1st Horn | Vacancy |
| 2nd Horn | Ruth Robinson |
| 1st Baritone | Paul Miller |
| 2nd Baritone | Peter Thompson |
| 1st Euphonium | Luigi Kidman |
| 2nd Euphonium | Clare Stoney |
| Solo Trombone | Leighton Jones |
| 2nd Trombone | Isabelle Georgescu |
| Bass Trombone | Geoff Pratt |
| E flat Bass | Jim Mallams Sue Bell Rosie Cartwright |
| B flat Bass | Joe Morris Vacancy |
| Drums/ Percussion | Vacancy |
Band Officials:
Secretary: Jim Mallams (Trustee)
Treasurer: Leighton Jones (Trustee)
Chairman: David Fisher (Trustee)
Band Manager: Paul Miller
Band Librarian: Rosemary Fisher
Committee Members: Louis Sherry, Joe Morris
Safeguarding Officers: Victoria Blunt, Laura Boughton
Ampthill Town Band is committed to safeguarding and follows both Brass Band England’s and the Charity Commission’s Safeguarding Guidance.
The Band’s Constitution, Safeguarding Policy and other policy documents can be viewed here
Gallery
