About the Main Band
Our main band is a traditional, competing brass band who compete nationally in the First Section. Alongside competitions, the main band love to perform in a wide variety of concerts and events - including traditional brass band concerts, Oktoberfest beer festival-style events, weddings and fetes. The band rehearse twice a week (Wednesdays and Sundays) in our purpose-built facility in Dean Hollow, Audley. Find out more about what we get up to below.
Musical Director - Tom Hancock
Tom Hancock was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1988 and began playing the Cornet at the age of 8 with the award-winning Lions Youth Brass organisation based in South Cheshire.
After progressing through the Beginner and Junior Bands, Tom was appointed Principal Cornet of Lions Youth in 2006, performing solos in concerts and leading the band in many high-profile events. It was at this time that Tom was invited to perform with the world-famous Foden's Band on their CD "A Patrons' Choice".
Tom was a member of Roberts Bakery Band from 2004 - 2018, enjoying many successful overseas tours and winning three North-West area titles. Tom also held the positions of Band Manager and more recently Associate Conductor, working closely with Simon Stonehouse and Paul Lovatt-Cooper.
Tom was engaged as a Tutor of the Lions Junior Brass in 2008 and became the band's Musical Director in 2011. Under his leadership, the Juniors have won the Newcastle-Under-Lyme Festival Under 14 Ensemble Class on 5 consecutive occasions (2013 - 2017) and have consistently placed fourth at the National Youth Brass Band Championships (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018).
Following this success, Tom was approached to become Musical Director of Audley Brass in 2014. At that time, the band had just 14 regular players and were languishing in the Fourth Section. Less than two years later, the band had doubled in membership and achieved promotion to the Third Section.
Audley Brass continue to develop under Tom's dedicated and hard-working leadership, delivering entertaining concert performances and achieving contest sucess, including Runners-Up at Bolsover Festival of Brass (2016), winning the Third Section at Stalybridge Celtic Whit Friday contest (2017) and qualifying for the Third Section National Finals (2018).
Tom completed two degrees in History, a BA(Hons) from Staffordshire University in 2009 followed by a Masters from the University of Manchester in 2010. His theses focused on the changing nature of British brass bands and their links to industry & the working-class.
Tom is in-demand as a private brass tutor and freelance conductor and is an executive member of the National Association of Brass Band Conductors (NABBC).
A typical year in the life of Audley Brass
Whilst there is no such thing as a 'typical' year in the life of a brass band as every rehearsal and concert is different (surely that is the beauty of making live music together!), there are a number of key seasonal events that our members and audiences alike look forward to every year. Below is a brief overview of what a typical year looks like for Audley Brass!
January
Following a well-deserved Christmas break, we like to kick start the year with something a little different! This generally takes the form of an early-season contest which in recent years has seen us perform in venues such as Preston Guild Hall, Butlins Skegness and Warrington Pyramid Theatre. Here you can see us at our morning warm-up on contest day in Warrington 2020.
February
February is typically the month where contest preparations are at the forefront of our rehearsals. As well as full-band sessions, we hold smaller sectional rehearsals and masterclasses with professionals at the top of their game in the brass band world - having recently worked with the likes of Russell Gray, Gary Curtin, Mareika Gray and Mark Wilkinson. Just before a competition, we invite the general public to an open rehearsal which gives us the opportunity to perform a 'trial-run' of the contest piece.
March
In terms of competitions, this is the big one for us as it marks the Midlands Regional Brass Band Championships. The results of this contest determine our national grading and if we perform well, it also gives us the possibility of qualifying for the National Finals in Cheltenham. Whatever happens on stage, after all the hard work is done, we look forward to downing tools and socialising afterwards with our fellow band members - which normally takes the form of a few drinks and a band curry!
April
After a couple of months where rehearsals have focussed heavily on competition preparation, April sees us switch focus completely as we start to work on concert repetoire for the upcoming summer season. As well as traditional brass band tunes, we like to push the genre boundaries and have been known on occasion to add an electric guitar into our performances!
May
Behind our Christmas concert, our Spring Concert held in May is one of our biggest self-supporting events of the year. In recent years this has taken place in St James' Church, Sir Thomas Boughey Academy & Audley Methodist Church Hall and gives us the opportunity to perform a concert set to our local audience and supporters.
June
A much-loved event in the calendar this time of year is the Whit Friday Marches held annually in Saddleworth & Tameside. This has been known to be described as 'The Greatest Free Show on Earth'! The day sees us all board a coach in Audley and travel around to various villages together performing a short road march and a static contest march at each venue.
July
During the summer months our typical bookings are for performances at summer fetes, outdoor events and weddings. We believe there's nothing better than spending a sunny weekend afternoon lazing in the sun, ice-cream in hand listening to the sound of a brass band!
August
SUMMER SHUTDOWN! During the month of August we take a well-deserved few weeks off rehearsals to enjoy the summer holidays. Whilst the bandroom is locked up, band members meet for a summer social such as a band barbecue, with burgers provided by our own head chef, Ian Hill!
September
Back in the bandroom and our major activity this time of year is preparing for an entertainment contest, where in recent years we have attended Bolsover Festival of Brass and Wychavon Festival of Brass. This competition involves the band performing a 20-minute entertainment programme - where pretty much anything goes!
October
In recent years we have expanded our concert range by performing in Oktoberfest-style events. These performances have proved a hit with both band members and audience alike - giving the opportunity of a sing-a-long and lots of audience participation! Repertoire for these events ranges from Queen to Elvis Presley to Coldplay!
November
Our most humbling engagement of the year has to be forming part of the Remembrance Day services held in Audley. We lead the parade in a short march up to the cenotaph and then accompany the congregation in a selection of hymns. One of our cornet players will perform the Last Post ahead of a two-minute silence.
December
When most people think of brass bands they think of Christmas and this has to be the time of year where we are most in-demand - we are typically booked-up for December a year in advance! Our engagements this time of year range from our self-supporting main Christmas concert through to performing Christmas carols in small groups around the streets of Audley and in supermarket foyers to raise funds to help keep us going for the year ahead.