Stanshawe Band

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History 1968-Present
How it all Began
Stanshawe was formed on 4 June 1968 by a nucleus of Bristol-based brass players that were disheartened by the success and quality of music-making in that fine city. They intended to change all that. With the support of Douglas Leonard, the housing developer of the Stanshawe Estates in Yate, they were able to procure a permanent bandroom in Eastville (Bristol) the annex of which they opened as a social club. The founders were able to attract players from the surrounding counties that included Lyndon Baglin and Derek Horsfall whose time at Brighouse & Rastrick had brought into contact with Prof. Walter. B. Hargreaves. It was to WB (the “wee professor”) that this young and inexperienced band asked for leadership. Thus began, arguably, the most meteoric rise of any band, anywhere.
Within 2 years the band had left the 2nd section behind and had won the British Open qualifier, Spring Belle Vue (1972). Within another 2 years they had won the Wills Grand Final (European), become Granada TV Band of the Year, and been runner up at the British Open. They were still only 5 years old. This unbelievable success was cemented by runner-up spots at the 1975 National Finals and 1976 British Open - were we ever to win? During this time Stanshawe also became BBC Band of the Year. In 1978 the band were fortunate enough to receive sponsorship from Sun Life Assurance (now AXA), who had recently moved their headquarters to Bristol from London. Also, at this time Dr. Roy Newsome was appointed Principal Conductor and led the, now, Sun Life Stanshawe Band in a memorable Swiss Tour in 1979.
Media Fame
The band was often on TV and Radio, including providing the theme tune to Radio’s “Down Your Way” and featuring in the BBC’s period drama, “The Barchester Chronicles”, when players adorned rustic outfits, sideburns, and top hats to appear with an array of famous actors on screen. Also, Sun Life Stanshawe was appeared many times on BBC2 in that channel’s popular “Best of Brass” series. The early 1980s saw Dr. Derek Bourgeois take up the baton at the band and he was instrumental in broadening the musical diet of this band and providing many world premiers of his concerti and excellent orchestral transcriptions.
Success
In 1985 the band went to Copenhagen with Geoffrey Brand where it took part in the B&H European Championships for the first time. This was followed by numerous tours to The Netherlands, Germany, and a happy return to Switzerland. The pinnacle was, of course, the Sun Life Band’s British Open victory at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, in 1990, performing Lalo’s “Le Roi d’Ys” under the masterly direction of Roy Newsome. This was closely followed by taking the WMC Kerkrade crown in Holland (1993) and throughout these years the band regularly produced critically acclaimed CD’s under their own label.
Demise
The last full year of Sun Life Stanshawe was 1996. Even in these last days they maintained the highest standards so desired by their founders in 1968. They won the South West Regional Championship for the 14th time and performed creditably at National Finals and Open in that final year. However, the stresses and strains of success take a high toll. You could say that the light that burns the brightest burns the shortest. In early 1997 this world famous brass band was sadly disbanded.
Trustees then took over the care and management of its estate. The Trustees have, since the band’s demise, supported various awards, events, and projects that would promote and prolong the name of Stanshawe. This has included a posthumous release of the triple CD “Legacy” and, more recently, providing sponsorship of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain in a series of concerts.
Reform
The band reformed for a reunion concert at St. George's Brandon Hill, Bristol in June 2010 conducted by Roy Newsome.

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