About
History
Stockport Schools' Brass Bands (SSBB) has its origins in the Stockport Schools Music Teachers Association. It was back in 1978 that Ken Thomas, a newly appointed music teacher in Stockport, was asked to put together a central Brass Band. Ken canvassed opinion, visited schools, sent invitations and was a man with a mission. The auditions took place at Stockport College at the end of the Summer Term in 1978 and the response was overwhelming. By the end of the audition weekend two bands had been formed and a concert was performed on the Sunday evening.
Mike Greaves took on the Prep Band and after a couple of rehearsals with Ken's brother Stan (an ex-bandmaster with the Royal Marines) Bob Wyatt took on the Senior Band. Bob stayed as MD of the Senior Band for 17 years only giving up his post as Senior Band MD in 1995, when he handed over the baton to Colin Duxbury.
The administration and running of this new organisation was going to be enormous and an impromptu parents' meeting was held with over 80 people turning up. From that a committee of 15 was elected, with Ken Thomas taking on the roles of Chairman and Administrator.
That first year went very well. It was decided to have a grand concert the following year in the Town Hall and every band member was asked to sell ten tickets so that the place would be filled and a profit would be made for the funds. It was an amazing event and the result of a year of hard work to establish the bands. Key people in those first few years were Cliff Colwell and Helen Coll, as well as Ken, Bob and Mike. Helen ran all the admin before she passed the role over to Gill Scourfield who was administrator for 20 years.
Gill applied for a grant from Littlewoods to run an "open" Saturday morning for beginners and the grant paid for a 10 week session and some new instruments. Thus it was that the Junior Band began and the Prep Band changed its name to the Intermediate Band.
Today we have our Senior, Intermediate and Junior Bands as well as our beginners group.
SSBB became a registered charity in 2011 (Registered Charity No 1143051) and retains the original ethos that Ken established back in 1978. A fully inclusive band with opportunities for players of all standards and ambitions. Since becoming a registered charity SSBB is managed by the 4 charity Trustees, with help and support from a number of parent volunteers.
Who's Who
We are very lucky to have a number of talented musicians who work with SSBB.
Our MDs are:
Training Band and Senior Band – Ryan Broad;
Beginners 1, Intermediate Band – Anna Hughes-Williams ;
Beginner 2 and Junior Band – Andrew Myers
Our tutors are:
Haz Saunders Percussion
John Hutchinson Neil Bowden, Alicia Davis - Brass
As well as giving individual lessons they also help out in the band rehearsals.
There are a number of adults who help to run SSBB.
The below form the main team overseeing and organising the day to day running of SSBB with Michelle Bailey and Ian Campbell being the main contacts.
Ian Campbell is our chair of trustee. Ian also looks after day to day finance, , Policies and logistics
Michelle Bailey is our concert secretary and trustee of the charity and also helps with the general admin
Ian Corbridge is the treasurer and trustee of the charity and is responsible for our financial governance.
In addition we have a number of parent volunteers
Fran Wareing, Kathryn Evans who manage our Tuck Shop and co-ordinate refreshments for or concerts
Chris Hillman who manages all the our music and looks after the library.
Alexi Owens, Glenn Fairhall, Terry Partridge who help in our Junior band by playing alongside and support the younger players.