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A brief history of Goring & Streatley Concert Band

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The Band started life as a Brass Band in Goring before the 1st World War. As a Division I Band, the standard was very high. After the war, the Band re-started in 1925 and played on until 1939, still as a Brass Band, but when war was imminent it proved impossible to carry on.

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In 1977 the Committee organising the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations in our twin villages suddenly realised that we had no local band to brighten things up. With much spade-work by people keen to see the band reform, and with encouragement and support from many others, the Band eventually reformed as a Concert Band, i.e. accepting woodwind players as well as brass. Shortly after the Queen's Jubilee, George Jones became the first Bandmaster, and in 2017 we celebrate our 40th year of playing together.

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The Concert Band was set up with the intention that it would be open to people of all ages and all abilities who could enjoy making music together and enhance community spirit and cohesion. It also provided the opportunity for people to learn an instrument in a supportive and enjoyable environment. Both of those principles remain of great importance to us today; as well as welcoming members across a vast range of ages, the Band regularly performs at local events and raises money for charities.

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We now also have a second band, known as the Starter Band but made up of a wide variety of players, from beginners to excellent and experienced musicians of all ages.  The two bands play for concerts and other engagements throughout the year, sometimes separately and sometimes together, which is a spectacular experience involving more than 100 musicians

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