Background to the Vision

Brass bands have now been in existence in the UK for over 150 years.

Their contribution to the social fabric of the nation, its artistic and cultural development and local communities has been immense.  They traditionally provide support at local events such as fetes and fairs, lead processions, provide free tuition to children in music and, in many cases, have developed into virtuoso ensembles that perform at the very highest standard of music making. 

They are the envy of the rest of the World for their role in society and their quality driven by the competitive element of contesting.

The County of Devon has produced many quality musicians and musical ensembles, proudly boasts facilities such as Dartington School, Plymouth University and Exeter University that attract top quality music students, and is home to brass musicians both active and retired that have performed, composed or conducted at the pinnacle of brass playing.

Despite this the County has remarkably failed to ever possess a brass band ranked in the highest echelon of national brass banding (at the rank of Championship section).  By comparison the neighbouring counties of Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and Avon enjoy almost permanent representation at Championship level raising the question as to why this has been the situation.

The problem, it can be argued, has been social and geographical.  Historically brass bands grew up in the 19^th Century around mining villages (in typically agricultural areas brass bands are thinner on the ground).  The support of bands based in small communities has been dwindling as society has turned away from traditional live music.  Devon has, to date, tended only to have moderately successful brass bands attached to the conurbations of Exeter, Torbay or Plymouth. 

Top class bands in the UK now tend to draw the best players from across social and geographical boundaries and are organized and managed in a very professional manner using all mediums to attract and perform to modern audiences.

In 2009, in response to a number of requests from some of the best players in Devon, Ken Cassidy wrote a strategy to develop a new Band in Devon that by:

> basing the band in a central location balanced between those conurbations,
> setting an objective for it to achieve the highest standard,
> ensuring that its was professionally structured, managed and administered
> ensuring that it was innovative in its approach and
> sought to support local composers

would attract the best players from around the County to potentially reach the highest standard and commence a culture of brass playing per excellence in Devon that would inspire others, develop and attract new audiences and enrich the musical culture of the South West region.

On the31^st August 2009 “Storm Brass” was formally created and European award winning composer Simon Dobson appointed as the band’s first professional Musical Director.

The Vision Statement of Storm Brass

“Storm Brass will be recognised as one of the UK's finest brass bands which inspires and engages with the regional community by promoting a wide range of musical and educational opportunities, and which develops innovative approaches to brass music including the use of other artistic mediums and technology".

Vision