Leyland Band

The Leyland Band is a brass band based in Lancashire in the UK.

History

It was formed in 1946, as the Leyland Motors Band. In the 1990s, it was known as the BNFL Band, and the JJB Sports Leyland Band. The Leyland Motors truck and bus businesses eventually became part of British Leyland in the 1970s, and later re-emerged as Leyland Trucks and Leyland Bus.

Championship competitions

The Leyland Band were the Champion Brass Band of Great Britain in 2005, and have also held the title of British Open Brass Band Champions (1994). In addition to this, the band have won the All England Masters Brass Band Championships on three occasions (1989, 1992 and 2003) and are seven times North West Regional Brass Band Champions (1982, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2004 and 2005). The band have also featured on more than fifty audio recordings, national television (including BBC "Songs of Praise") and radio (including numerous recordings for BBC Radio 2). In 1978, Richard Evans was offered the task of rebuilding the band, and he oversaw their meteoric rise to the top for over twenty years, followed by a period of success under the baton of Russell Gray. This period saw the band achieve the title of Champion Band of Great Britain in 2005 by winning at the finals at the Royal Albert Hall, London. The band are currently conducted by Jason Katsikaris, and are entering a new period under his guidance so far resulting in a wonderful partnership seeing the band qualify for the National Finals at the Albert Hall once again.

The band are famous for their contest and concert performances throughout the UK and have also travelled as far as the USA and Japan.

External links

* [http://www.leylandband.co.uk Leyland Band official site]

Audio clips

* [http://www.theclassicalshop.net/mp3samples/DO/DOY00704T01D01.wma Spanish Eyes] - by Bert Kaempfert.
* [http://www.theclassicalshop.net/mp3samples/DO/DOY00710T01D01.wma Sunshine of your Smile] - by Lilian Ray
* [http://www.theclassicalshop.net/mp3samples/DO/DOY00716T01D01.wma People] by Stanley Black