Bratton Silver Band mark 160 years

Bratton village green provided the ideal setting for Bratton Silver Band’s annual ‘Picnic in the Park’ concert on Saturday 6th July. 

The training band, under the direction of musical director, Mark Gundry, performed a varied programme including classical favourites, The Lost Chord and music by Mozart, as well as featuring music from the musical Mamma Mia and James Bond movie. 

The second half of the concert was led by musical director, Simon Carr, and included music from the Beatles, Madness and Queen, as well as traditional brass band music. In appreciation, the audience donated to the band’s chosen worthy causes, Jacob’s Ladder a not-for-profit community organisation that supports children and young adults with special needs; and CLIC,  providing emotional, practical and financial support for young cancer patients and their families.

As part of the evening events an exhibition of the band’s 160 year history was held in Bratton Pavilion. This included photographs of the band which dated back to the late 19th and early 20th century and a wide range of newspaper cuttings, programmes, posters and other memorabilia which attracted a great deal of interest from young and old alike. Band member, Vic Beer, first performed with the band in the 1950s and featured in many past photos and newspaper cuttings as musical director of the band. One band member commented “Enjoyed looking through it all with my boys who were ‘Vic spotting’ in all the band photos!!”

Bratton Silver Band  has recently been awarded funding from the Arts Council National Lottery Project Fund and from the Brass Band England Norman Jones Trust Fund towards their 160th Anniversary Project to commission a piece of music about the ‘lost village’ of Imber near Bratton. As part of the exhibition,  visitors participated  in the activity ‘Imber-from Photography to Music’ and contributed their ideas for the composer Christopher Bond, who has been chosen for his experience in composing music reflecting the atmosphere and history of memorable events and places.