Who we are
Surrey Brass was founded in August 2001 by John Goodwin and aims to develop the fine tradition of ensemble brass performance originated by the internationally famous Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, by widening the audience for brass ensemble music, enlarging the repertoire, and providing enjoyment for everyone. Our talented musicians include the best semi-professional players in Surrey, UK. We are particularly keen on encouraging young brass players and every year perform at least one concert involving them - hopefully some will join us in future.
Surrey Brass has lived up to our motto of being
"the innovative and entertaining brass ensemble"
ever since our foundation in 2001.
What we do
Surrey Brass aims to promote the Arts in all its forms and is always keen to form new performing partnerships with local Arts organisations, composers and arrangers in the county of Surrey and beyond. We publish sheet music of our own and other peoples’ arrangements for brass ensemble on our website to help widen the performance of this music.
Surrey Brass is versatile, being able to perform as the Surrey Brass Quintet, Surrey Brass Dectet, or larger ensemble. We often feature our own players as soloists, and frequently collaborate with other organisations and performers. We have worked with many excellent Conductors, in particular Robin Smith who has been associated with us from the very beginning to the present day. We have also recieved excellent advice and coaching from Denis Wick: Surrey Brass President.
We also aim to perform at least one Charity concert every year and have raised many thousands of pounds for various causes including Age Concern, Tsunami relief, help to the Third World, Barnardo's, Amnesty International, and fundraising for a new Village Hall in Elstead, Surrey.
Please Contact Us if we might help your fundraiser, or if you are interested in collaborating in a musical project. We would be delighted to hear from you.
What we play
Surrey Brass plays a wide, innovative and entertaining repertoire to a high standard, incorporating fresh influences from diverse musical sources including Classical, Jazz, Film, and World Music.
Whenever we can find sponsorship, we commission new music. We began Innovation at our very first concert in 2002 with a Golden Jubilee Fanfares Contest. The contest attracted many original compositions and was won by John Hughes with Golden Jubilee Fanfare (No.1) - John Hughes which Surrey Brass still perform regularly. Commissions since then include:
- Loud Music for Silent Films - music to accompany the silent films of Cecil Hepworth, featuring music by John Hughes and Rob Davies in several concerts at the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse.
- Concorde by Rob Davies, which was premiered in the hangar at Brooklands Museum together with an audience visit to the Concorde exhibit during the interval.
- "Brass Energy" by Barry Forgie", a major jazz-based work drawing attention to man's relationship with energy over the ages. Forward-looking in 2012, it anticipated today's wider public awareness of Climate Change.
- First Performance of "A Modest Suite for Bass Trumpet" by Gordon Carr with soloist John Shaddock from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
- Learn more about Surrey Brass Innovation
We are grateful for the support of the RC Sherriff Trust for the majority of these commissions. If you are interested in collaborating in a musical project please get in touch.
Keep in Touch
Follow us on Social Media, Buy Tickets and Products
Raise funds for Surrey Brass
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Most unusually for musical organisations of our type, Surrey Brass is entirely self-funded.
- Right now we need funds to recover from zero income during COVID and to build our future programme. Support Surrey Brass today.
Affiliations
Surrey Brass has been affiliated to Making Music for many years.
Making Music is the UK’s membership organisation for leisure-time music, with over 3,700 groups representing around 200,000 music makers across the UK.
Making Music is dedicated to empowering everyone, whatever their background or experience, to come together in their community to make or present their kind of music. Making Music offers a comprehensive range of financial, artistic and administrative services as well as development and training opportunities to voluntary music groups. It also campaigns on behalf of the voluntary music sector and its members at a national and local level.
Website History
This Joomla hosted version of the Surrey Brass website was created in Joomla 3 on 8th March 2015 and updated to Joomla 4 in 2023.
Our legacy site was created in 2001 upon the creation of Surrey Brass. We were one of the first musical organisations to offer online ticketing,