Rutland Concert Band was formed in May of 2008. It is a community wind band whose main purpose is to provide local musicians of all ages and abilities with the opportunity to play in a band. The band has grown steadily since its formation and we currently have over 60 players. Players range from primary school age to retirees, from relative beginners to accomplished musicians.
The beauty is that everyone helps and learns from each other. The main aims for the band are to have fun playing and to enjoy socialising as a musician. We rehearse every Tuesday evening at Oakham Baptist Church between 7:30 and 9:00 all year round apart from the summer and Christmas holidays.
We play a wide range of music of varying difficulty to suit all grades of player, from Pirates of the Carribean and Wallace and Gromit, to The Impressario by Mozart, Fantasia on British Sea Songs by Henry Wood. We perform several times throughout the year, including our annual Proms in the Park, Remembrance and Christmas concerts. We also play at local bandstands and churches and have toured in Bruges and Amsterdam.
Our Conductor, Ian Halcrow, is an experienced musician who served as principal clarinet with the Cambrai Staff Band, Royal Tank Regiment, for 12 years. He was a Cousins Memorial Competition winner whilst studying at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, has a Diploma in Music and was bandmaster of the Ipswich Hospital Band, Suffolk. Ian believes that making music should be about enjoyment first and sharing that experience with other like-minded people.
Rutland Concert Band 