Here's a “brief” history:

 

In 1988 Gordon Hartley-Bennett, Head of Brass for the then Hereford and Worcester County Council, and Philip Burton, a stalwart supporter of the local band, were approached by the Pershore Tourist Association (the Town Council and the Chamber of Trade) and asked to investigate the possibility of staging a brass band festival in Pershore along the lines of a typical entertainment competition. Gordon Hartley-Bennett felt he was not the right person to take this on because he was ambivalent about competitions. Whilst acknowledging their importance he is not a regular participant. However his feeling was that there were not enough events in the brass band calendar devoted to bringing brass band music of all categories to a new audience of listeners. Also he thought it would be refreshing to bring bands together and ask them to play concerts to the public with no restrictions on players, instruments or repertoire.

 

After further discussion with the Tourist Association and with Phil Burton, who became the first treasurer, a Festival was designed to make use of the magnificent Pershore Abbey and the garden of the Angel Inn and Posting House. The hope was that these two differing venues would encourage bands to play a varying repertoire; outdoor fete music at the Angel and more serious music in the Abbey.

 

The three aims of the festival were:

 

           * to promote brass music in the area

           * to boost tourism in Pershore

           * to support local traders.

 

The event would be non-competitive, it would feature local brass bands and a top class band from the Championship section would provide the finale. It would take place on a Saturday to bring trade to the town.

 

The first Pershore Midsummer Brass took place on July 7 1990, and the opening fanfare from the top of Pershore Abbey attracted considerable media attention both locally and nationally, as musicians had to be lashed to the tower for their own safety. Twelve local bands played 25 concerts from midday until 9.15 in the Community Hall, Pershore Abbey and at the Angel Inn. Banks's Brewery Band provided the star turn and massed bands played at the Abbey to round the day off and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Prices were £3 and £1 and the event was a success. CBIP, County Brass in Pershore, offered a showcase and expert adjudication to school ensembles from around the county.

 

On July 6 1991, the second Pershore Midsummer Brass was staged as part of the Wychavon Festival, held to celebrate the opening of the new Civic Centre. The Leisure Centre replaced the Community Hall as the third venue for the eleven local bands plus Banks's and a French Horn Ensemble. Prices were £2 and £1 and the programme - previously 50p - was free! The third CBIP took place in St.Andrews. Participating bandsmen enjoyed the format of the event.

 

The third festival was held on July 4 1992, and welcomed Rolls Royce (Coventry) as the second Championship band to share top billing with Banks's. They were supported by eleven local bands, the French Horn Ensemble and a Brass Quintet (Brassed Off). The Abbey tower was unsafe, so the opening fanfare was played in Broad Street. Prices were again £3 and £1 and the festival ran from midday to the end of the massed performance at 10pm. CBIP continued to flourish. "Try an instrument" was introduced at the Leisure Centre. For the first time the festival recorded a small loss.

 

The fourth, on July 10 1993, opened with Gordon Hartley-Bennett hoisted 50 feet above Broad Street on a lift to play the opening fanfare on a trumpet presented to him in Gotha (formerly East Germany) when on a tour with Perscoran Brass in 1992. Fifteen local bands with Banks's and Rolls Royce played in the three venues, and patrons paid £4 and £2 plus 50p for the programme. CBIP and "Try an instrument" were held again. It was claimed that one player made nine appearances for his own and other bands! A competition for children in local schools was introduced.

 

The fifth Pershore Midsummer Brass was held on July 9 1994. Prices were held, but the event started at 10.30 to accommodate Banks's, Rolls Royce and the 21 supporting bands and ensembles. Brassed Off opened from the Abbey tower and 35 concerts were played. CBIP and "Try an Instrument" were held for the last time and there was nearly a barbecue at the Angel marquee.

 

July 8 1995 saw the sixth staging of what Rolls Royce called "a well-loved and established part of the banding year". After the usual opening from Brassed Off, Rolls Royce, Banks's and twenty other bands and ensembles played 34 concerts at the three venues from 11am until 10 pm. YBIP, Youth Brass in Pershore, replaced CBIP in St.Andrew's.

 

Saturday July 6 1996 was the date of Pershore Midsummer Brass number seven. Little point was seen in changing an obviously successful formula, though abortive attempts to gain free publicity were made from time to time. Prices and venues were unchanged, but the unfortunate demise of Banks's brought Woolley Pritchard Sovereign Brass to us for the first time to share top spot with Rolls Royce. Brassed Off and twenty other bands, giving 34 concerts in the day, supported them. The festival overall recorded a small loss. YBIP was no more.

 

The eighth PMB on July 5 1997 discarded the Leisure Centre and concentrated on the other two venues, while the junior bands played at Chapman Court and the Star Inn. Rolls Royce and Sovereign were supported by 22 other bands and ensembles in 33 concerts from 10 am to 10 pm, but the big news was the world premiere of two new pieces, our own commission "Midsummer Serenade" by Darrol Barry, made possible by a National Lottery "Arts 4 Everyone" grant, and played by Rolls Royce in the Abbey, plus John Frith conducting Stourport Band's performance of his own piece "Revolution". Prices went up to £5 and £3, and it became obvious that the growth of the festival required changes in its organisation.

 

Before the ninth Midsummer Brass was held on July 4 1998, the committee had tightened up the organisational side with more rigid job descriptions, venue managers to prevent over-running, tighter stewarding and walkie-talkie contact between venues. The advertising budget was increased dramatically. The Staffordshire Building Society band joined Rolls Royce and Sovereign Brass, and Lydmet Lydney had just been promoted to the Championship section. These top bands were now asking to play at the festival, regarding participation as more important than their fee. In all, 26 bands and ensembles played 37 concerts from 10.30 am to 10.30 pm. Prices were held. As if to underline the festival's prestige, Gordon Hartley-Bennett was among the first five recipients of the Diploma of Honour, awarded by the Worshipful Company of Musicians of the City of London, in recognition of his work with young people including the foundation of Perscoran Brass and Pershore Midsummer Brass. In October 1998 Rolls Royce broadcast the "Toujours" movement of "Midsummer Serenade" for the first time. A small loss was recorded.

 

For the tenth Pershore Midsummer Brass on July 3 1999, prices were increased to £6 and £4. Now another band from the Championship section, Flowers, had asked to appear. In February we heard that publication of "Midsummer Serenade" (1997) as a whole, and possibly "Toujours" separately as well, was being arranged with the Swiss publishing company Obrasso - appropriately! The work is also under consideration as a test piece.

 

The eleventh PMB was held on July 1 2000. Prices were the same, as were the venues, with Chapman Court and Number 8 being included again. There were four Championship bands (Flowers, Staffordshire, Sovereign and Rolls Royce). In all, 27 bands and ensembles played 40 concerts during the day. The weather was warm but cloudy with some light drizzle, but at about 7pm there was a heavy downpour, which resulted in a lot of water in and around the marquee. Attendances and takings were down, probably due to a combination of uncertain weather, Tim Henman playing at Wimbledon, and an extremely gripping England v West Indies test match reaching its climax. Despite this, a small overall profit was recorded, thus ensuring that the event could take place again next year, when we hope to feature a marching band. The Children's Art Competition was organised by the Art Department at Pershore High School and was a great success. PMB provided £150 prize money.

 

The twelfth festival on July 7 2001 offered visitors 36 concerts by 27 bands and ensembles. Sounding Brass provided opening music from the Abbey Tower, but the marching band proved too complicated to arrange and the visiting band from Pershore's twin town of Bad Neustadt was unable to make the trip. Prices were held at £6 and £4 for the third year and we were pleased to welcome the Rushden Windmill Band from the Championship section. The art competition was well supported and financially the festival was a success.

 

Unlucky thirteenth on July 6 2002 did not live up to its superstition and made a reasonable profit. Prices were increased to £7 and £6, and the addition of Pershore Baptist Church as a venue was successful. The Abbey and the Angel hosted 14 concerts each, the Baptist Church 7, Chapman Court 5 and Number Eight 3, making 43 in total. There were one or two last minute withdrawals, but we welcomed for the first time West Mercia Constabulary, Langley and Thornbury. The weather was fine without being brilliant and the Art Competition was again successful.

 

On July 5 2003 the fourteenth festival was staged on bright, cloudy and pleasantly cooler day. 19 bands, 3 junior bands and 4 ensembles gave 42 concerts at the Abbey (14), the Angel Inn marquee (14), the Baptist Church (7), Chapman Court (4) and the new Town Hall Civic Suite (3). Debutantes were Shirley Town, Jaguar (Coventry) and City of Coventry. Prices were held at £7 and £6 with some reductions for single venue or late purchase. Complaints were made by the public and some bands about overrunning by Flowers Band. Ticket sales were about the same, and we more or less broke even. The committee had been enlarged, but lengthy and difficult problems over public liability and safety precautions at venues blighted preparations. The growth of the festival and time-consuming meetings put the future in doubt, but it was voted to continue next year, with some restructuring of committee and meetings following the departure of Graham Hobby, Sue Hartley-Bennett and Jean Davies, and the partial withdrawal of Jenny Burton. The Art Competition was again organised by Carole Austin and John Ainsworth (PHS) with the usual exhibition in Pershore Library. Perscoran gave their final PMB concert in the marquee.

 

The fifteenth staging was on July 3rd 2004. The weather was mainly cool and cloudy. The Abbey and the Angel offered 14 concerts each, the Baptist Church 7, Chapman Court 5 and the Town Hall Civic Suite 3, making a total of 43. A new departure was Staves and Stanzas, a joint venture in which Arrow Valley played a concert in the Baptist Church which included readings by John Burns and Jan Doran from the Ledbury Poetry Festival. The concert was repeated later in the day at Ledbury Parish Church. Prices were increased to £8 for all, with programmes at £1 and a reduced admission for those wishing just to attend the evening performances at the Abbey. Ticket sales were lower (about 700), although a surplus of about £400 was recorded. About 1700 in all attended the festival. The Art Competition was held for the last time, as it had become rather disappointing and did not attract the desired publicity.

 

And so to number sixteen.........