This is the latest CD in The Composer's Portrait Series and features the music of Martin Ellerby, played by Grimethorpe Band and includes Piano solos from Philip Mead and a cornet solo from Robert Westacott. The conductor is james Gourlay. Martin Ellerby has written a wide range of music for most media including 5 symphonies and a large Requiem.His works for Brass Band also embrace a large number of concertos which have entered repertoire world-wide. Martin is currently the civilian composer-in-residence with the Regimental Band of Her Majesty's Coldstream Guards, a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. The CD is available to purchase here for £14 or single tracks can be downloaded from our singles catalogue here.

The CD 'The Music lives On: Now The Mines Have Gone' has now been released. It is an album featuring the UK's most historic Colliery Brass Bands from across the length and breadth of the UK. The album's release comes exactly 25 years after the end of one of the country's bitterest and most divisive industrial disputes. The mines did close but the music stayed thanks to the Colliery bands - today a potent symbol of a great heritage, the beating heart of many former mining communities. A special website has been created to commemorate the Music Of the Mines: www.themusicliveson.co.uk You can purchase your copy online here

Concert At City Hall, Sheffield
Tickets are now on sale for the concert to be held at City Hall, Sheffield on 20th November. The band's Principal Musical Director, Alan Withington will be over from Norway to take this prestigious concert. This is always a very popular evening and patrons are urged to purchase tickets early to avoid disapointment.

Definitely an event not to be missed - the concert will include the programme to be played by Grimethorpe at the Brass in Concert Championships which take place the following day at the Sage, Gateshead. A rare opportunity for local supporters to hear Grimethorpe Colliery Band at their best.

Tickets now on sale direct from City Hall - www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk

AUGUST

The band welcome back Josef Murray on to the cornet section. Joe played with the Band when they won back to back National Championships in 2006 and 2007 the first of these wins came when Joe was only fifteen years of age. In September, Joe takes up a music course at the Royal Northern College of Music Manchester.

JULY

The Band are pleased to welcome Shaun Crowther back to the Band after an eighteen month absence on to the E Flat Bass section. Shaun joins the Band from Yorkshire rival Brighouse and Rastrick Band. Shaun will make his debut at the Deal Festival Concert on Saturday the 10th of July.

JUNE

End Of An Era
On Saturday the 19th of June an end of an era came upon Stroud Gloucestershire when after 45 years the Stroud Brass Band series came to end. The final concert in the series was performed by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band under the direction of Ian McElligott. The concert took place in the Stroud Subscription Rooms and was attended by a capacity audience.  The concert series organiser Tony Whyatt said the concert could have been sold out twice that is how popular the brass band series was.    

Band in Bi-Centenary Celebrations
The Grimethorpe Colliery band performed at Innerleithen Parish Church on the 5th of June as part of the St Ronan's Band bicentenary celebrations. One of the United Kingdoms oldest brass bands Saint Ronan's invited Grimethorpe to perform at the band's Celebratory Concert where a capacity audience enjoyed the concert under the direction of David Stowell.

Soloists were Robert Westacott, Andrew Holmes, Gary MacPhee and Michael Dodd. The band performed the theme tune from the television series "Band of Brothers" as part of the D Day commemorations.

New Cornet Player
The Band would like to welcome Gareth Crane in to the cornet section from the Wingates Brass Band, Gareth replaces Nick Hamlett who left the band at the end of May. Gareth is looking forward to a long and successful career with Grimethorpe and takes his position up with immediate effect.

APRIL

Grimethorpe Band will tour Switzerland in August. Ticket details and venues will follow at the beginning of May. Bookmark us to stay up to date!

MARCH

GRIMETHORPE REGENERATION
It has been a busy time locally for the Band over the last few weeks. On Friday the 5th of March, a small group of musicians from the Band performed at the Grimethorpe Regeneration Celebrations held in the village. The event celebrated the recent regeneration programme which had taken place with the rebuilding of a Sports and Fitness Centre, also the official opening of the Leggett and Platt Factory which had recently been constructed bringing much needed employment to the Grimethorpe area. The official opening was carried out by former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott MP and local MP Jeff Ennis.

CHANNEL 5
The Band were busy a few days later when on Tuesday the 9th of March, the Band recorded a news item for Televisions Channel 5 News Programme. The filming took place at the Acorn Centre Gardens in Grimethorpe. The broadcast was to publicise the recent release of a new compact disc featuring many of the Country's finest Colliery Bands and also it was twenty five years since the end of the year long National Miners Strike.

As part of the national "The year of Music" campaign, the band joined forces with the Opera North Company and on Thursday the 11th of March visited the Willowgarth High School in Grimethorpe. The Band and Singers gave a master class to children between the ages of ten and eighteen giving them the opportunity to engage with music. The day consisted of composing a new composition with both the words and music being created by the children attending. The premier of the new composition plus several combined items from Opera North and the Band was performed in front of Margaret Hodge the Minister for Culture who was escorted by Jeff Ennis MP.

PARR HALL
On Saturday the 27th of March, the Band travel to the Parr Hall Warrington to perform their first concert in the town for over fifteen years. Tickets are still available and any concert goers will be able to listen to the premiere of a new work especially arranged Cornet Solo for the Bands Principal Cornet Robert Westacott. The arrangement is entitled "Stars" from the musical Les Miserables and arranged by Andi Cook.

FEBRUARY

Congratulations go to the Bands Solo Cornet Player, Benjamin Richeton who reached the final of the BBC Radio Two Brass Young Musician of the Year. The final was held at the Royal Northern College of Music Manchester on Saturday the 13th of February.

JANUARY

The Management of the Grimethorpe Colliery Band are pleased to welcome two new recruits to the band commencing in January 2010

They are on Second Cornet Joe Williams ex Milnrow and YBS Band and on Second Horn Andrew Oetegenn.

Andrew has played for both the Fairy Band and more recently Pemberton Old on Solo Horn and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music.