Kingdom Brass

Kingdom Brass is a brass band based in Cowdenbeath, a small town in FIFE, Scotland.

The band comprises of 35 brass and percussion players, and was formed in 1999 by the amalgamation of the Cowdenbeath and Kelty & Blairadam Bands.

Kingdom Brass is graded in the Championship Section, and performs at various concerts, festivals and competitions all over the UK and abroad.

The organisation also runs the Kingdom Brass Youth Initiative, which comprises of the Kingdom Brass Youth Band and the Kingdom Brass Percussion Academy.

Rehearsal and Contact Details

Rehearsal Venue

Kingdom Brass rehearse in the Co-op Hall, Broad Street, Cowdenbeath, KY4 9NT.

Rehearsal Times

Senior Band rehearsals are on Thursdays and Sundays, from 7.30 - 9.30pm.

Junior Band rehearsals are on Tuesdays, from 6.30 - 8.45pm.

Percussion rehearsals are on Mondays, from 6.00 - 8.00pm.

Contact Information

All enquiries for any part of the organisation can be made via email, to Secretary@KingdomBrass.org.uk.

History

Senior Band

Kingdom Brass was formed in August 1999 after the amalgamation of the Cowdenbeath and the Kelty & Blairadam Bands. What seemed like a sudden decision by many was actually the end process of 18 months of careful planning and negotiation, which started in the spring of 1998. Individuals in both camps saw the potential to form one band with the cream of players in Fife which would be capable of challenging for the top honours.

A meeting between the two band committees was organised, and this took place in the Warout Stadium in Glenrothes in the summer of 1999. The proposals were discussed and the majority voted for the amalgamation. Both bands were then advised of the decision, which was positively welcomed by the majority of players.

The final competition between the two bands was the Scottish Miners Gala, which saw the rivalry of past years put aside with players from both bands guesting with the other in an almost party atmosphere. Cowdenbeath won the event, Kelty were runners up, and with that the new band was born.

Kingdom competed for the first time at the Fife Championships of 1999, and easily swept the boards at that event. In the years since then the band has went on to win countless trophy after trophy, and is now firmly established as one of Scotland's top bands. Kingdom has been awarded the title of Scottish Band of the year 2000 and 2001, and won the Forth Valley competition in 2001 after being runners up in that event in 1999 and 2000. A highlight for the band was competing at the National Finals in the Royal Albert Hall in 2000. The band won the Carnegie Invitation Contest in 2005, retaining the title in 2007 (after being absent in 2006 due to the band's tour of Germany) and again in 2008. In 2008 Kingdom finally broke into the top 3 at the Scottish Championships, the best result by a Fife band in 30 years. Kingdom has also found success at a National Level, winning the 2006 Senior Trophy competition and gaining third place at the 2009 Senior Cup, and With It promotion to the Grand Shield.

The band can boast some of the finest solo players in Scotland, and produced the Scottish Solo champion in 2000 (cornet player Lee Bathgate), 2001 (tuba player Gareth Ross) and 2008 (when cornet player James Smith lifted his eighth Scottish Title). The band's trombone quartet has been runners up at the Scottish Championships in 2000 and 2001, while Kingdom's mixed quartet became Scottish Champions in 2001, a title they retained in 2007 and again in 2008.

The success of the band in the initial years enabled Kingdom to move on to a higher stage competition wise, with invites to the Spring Festival competition (the qualifiers for the British Open) each year since 2001. The band was also invited to compete at the European Open Brass Band Championships in 2002, which was held in the impressive 'Kultur und Kongresszentrum' in Lucerne, Switzerland. That trip proved to be the highlight of the band's first few years, with a creditable sixth placing and an invite back to the event for 2003 where the band gained seventh place.

Kingdom was approached early in 2004 by Bob Ross, conductor of the renowned brass ensemble 'Blechschaden' (which is made up of members of the brass section of the Munich Philharmonic) to appear alongside them in a TV documentary while they toured Scotland in May 2004. The success of this documentary (which has been seen by many millions throughout Europe) led to a partnership being formed, with an invite extended to Kingdom to perform a series of concerts in Germany. In April 2006 Kingdom Brass embarked on a week long tour of Germany, performing sell out concerts from Hamburg in the north to Munich in the south. Kingdom again appeared alongside Bob on German TV in 2008 when filming took place during one of the band's Christmas concerts in December 2007.

Kingdom Brass Youth Initiative

The Kingdom Brass Youth Initiative (KBYI) was proposed in February 2007 following the very poor turn out in the youth sections at the Fife Charities Band Association (FCBA) solo & ensemble contest.

An initial meeting was held between members of Kingdom Brass and Alan Edmond, the Youth Development Officer for the Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA). This meeting led to the formation of a 5 year youth development plan for Kingdom Brass, and the formation of the KBYI.

Initial funding was received in September 2007 from the National Lottery Awards for All scheme.

In November 2007 the first workshops were held in local primary schools, and tuition began in December of 2007.

The first concert appearance of Kingdom Brass Youth was in August 2008, alongside Kingdom Brass at the Aberdour Festival.

The first competition appearance of Kingdom Brass Youth was in August 2008, at Brass in the Park in Newtongrange.

In September 2008, Kingdom Brass was awarded a Youth Music Initiative Large Grant from the Scottish Arts Council. This investment allowed a professional tutor and conductor to be employed on a part time basis by the organisation to oversee the development of the members and tutors.

The Scottish Arts Council awarded Kingdom Brass a YMI Small Grant in September 2009 to launch the Kingdom Brass Percussion Academy, to teach percussion alongside brass.

Honours

Kingdom Brass

Senior Trophy Champions - 2006

FCBA Champions - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009

Scottish Band of the Year - 2000, 2001

Forth Valley Champions - 2001

Carnegie Champions - 2005, 2007, 2008

Scottish Championships (Championship Section) 3rd Place - 2008
Scottish Championships (1st Section) Runners up - 2000

Scottish Solo Champions - 2000 (Lee Bathgate), 2001 (Gareth Ross), 2008 (James Smith)

Scottish Ensemble Champions - 2001, 2007, 2008

Cowdenbeath

FCBA Champions - 1972, 1973, 1974, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997

Scottish Band of the Year - 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990

Scottish Miners Gala Champions - 1958, 1972, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999

Northern Counties Champions - 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1998

Strathclyde Charities Champions - 1990

Scottish Championships (Championship Section) Runners Up - 1909, 1912
Scottish Championships (Championship Section) 3rd Place - 1973

Scottish Championships (1st Section) Winners - 1998

Scottish Championships (2nd Section) Winners - 1908, 1968, 1971, 1996
Scottish Championships (2nd Section) Runners Up - 1926, 1937, 1949, 1987
Scottish Championships (2nd Section) 3rd Place - 1955

Scottish Championships (3rd Section) Runners Up - 1948, 1967
Scottish Championships (3rd Section) 3rd Place - 1947, 1965

Scottish Championships (4th Section) Winners - 1962
Scottish Championships (4th Section) 3rd Place - 1961

Kelty & Blairadam

FCBA Champions - 1998

Scottish Championships (Championship Section) Winners - 1906, 1908
Scottish Championships (Championship Section) Runners Up - 1910, 1911
Scottish Championships (Championship Section) 3rd Place - 1928

Scottish Championships (1st Section) Runners Up - 1993
Scottish Championships (1st Section) 3rd Place - 1998, 1999

Scottish Championships (2nd Section) Winners - 1895, 1992
Scottish Championships (2nd Section) Runners Up - 1951
Scottish Championships (2nd Section) 3rd Place - 1947, 1959

Scottish Championships (3rd Section) Winners - 1991
Scottish Championships (3rd Section) 3rd Place - 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1978, 1979

Scottish Championships (4th Section) Winners - 1990
Scottish Championships (4th Section) Runners Up - 1968, 1977

Television, Radio and CD Recordings

Television Appearances

In May 2004 Kingdom Brass were invited by Bob Ross, conductor of the German brass group Blechschaden, to appear on a television documentary featuring the brass group touring Scotland. The documentary was watched by several million people across Germany and other parts of central Europe. Following the showing of the documentary, Bob Ross received several calls asking who the brass band were, and when would they be appearing in Germany. Because of the success of the television documentary, Kingdom Brass were invited to tour Germany in May 2006.

In December 2007, Bob Ross visited Scotland again, and was filmed alongside Kingdom Brass in one of the band's Christmas concerts, which was screened throughout Germany in 2008.

Before the formation of Kingdom Brass, several members of the Cowdenbeath Band appeared twice on Songs of Praise.

Radio Broadcasts

In August 2007, BBC Radio Scotland broadcast Sunday Bandstand, a programme featuring recordings from the West Lothian Festival of Brass which included a live performance from Kingdom Brass.

Before the band's appearance at the European Open Brass Band Championships in 2002, a PREview of the competition on local radio in Switzerland featured several pieces from one of the band's CD recordings.

During the 1970's Cowdenbeath appeared regularly on the radio competition, Bandstand.

CD Recordings

Kingdom's first CD recording was Les Preludes in 2000. Much of this was recorded live, with limited editing, and the band were ultimately disappointed with the final product. The only studio sections of it featured cornet player Graeme McCulloch as guest soloist.

In 2006, to coincide with the band's tour of Germany, Kingdom Brass released The Flying Scot. This CD featured pieces recorded over two studio sessions, with Archie Hutchison conducting the first session, and Craig Anderson the second. This recording was a great commercial success for the band, selling several hundred copies on the tour.

Conductors

MusicAL Director - Senior Band

The current Musical Director of Kingdom Brass is Andrew Duncan. Andy took over that post with Kingdom Brass in August 2009.

Musical Director - Junior Band

The current Musical Director of Kingdom Brass Youth is Anne Crookston. Anne took over that post with Kingdom Brass Youth in February 2009.

Previous Conductors

Over the past few years Kingdom has worked very successfully at a variety of events with various professional conductors, including Thomas Wyss, Alan Morrison, David Hirst, Ray Farr, Graham O'Connor and James Gourlay.

The band have also employed several local conductors to act as Musical Director since 1999, including Bruce Fraser, Gavin Lindsay, Simon Kerwin, Iain Davey and Craig Anderson.

Personnel

The current personnel of Kingdom Brass are:

Affiliations

Kingdom Brass is affiliated locally to the Fife Charities Band Association and nationally to the Scottish Brass Band Association.

External links

• Kingdom Brass Website
• FCBA Website
• SBBA Website