The village of Yarnton, just north of Oxford, is home to the Yarnton brass band. The band was formed in 1959, with a small nucleus of young players under the tutelage of George Tutte, who is still involved with the Band as President. In the intervening 40 years, the strength of the band has fluctuated, with a notable period during the 1970s and early 1980s when the band competed successfully in the national second section. Membership dropped during the early 1990s but is now in a period of strong growth and currently stands at around 60.
The Band operates with groups at three levels, each with their own leader. It is a feature of the Band that musical novices are encouraged to join, and many of the players played their first ever note on a musical instrument with the Band. The majority of the Band's members are aged under 18, although parents and other adults (whether already musicians or not) are welcomed.
The Beginners Group is aimed at early stage beginners to brass instruments. The group is kept to small numbers (up to six) to allow a close focus on individuals' progress. At this stage, the concentration is both on learning to understand how to read music and how to produce notes on the instruments. Players typically stay with this group for 3 - 9 months depending on age and previous experience. Occasional concerts for parents and participation in the Band's annual concert provide most youngsters with their first experience of musical performances.
The Training Band continues the development started with the Beginners. The group size is currently around 20 and although the instrumentation can be variable, the group is capable of small concert performances. The focus here is on progressing musical development in many aspects. There is a wide range of experience and ability in this group, with the more accomplished able to undertake musical grade examinations.
The Senior Band (a misnomer, since less than a quarter of the members are aged over 18) is a standard format brass band. This group undertakes the majority of the engagements, which vary from competitions, through concerts, to performances at fetes and other outdoor events during the summer months. There are currently 35 members, the youngest aged 9. One measure of the Band's success over the last year is the considerable number of trophies and prizes won by the full band, smaller groups and individuals.
The Band is available to perform for a small fee. Occasionally this fee will be waived where there is a good cause. The months of June and July are usually busy, with August being deliberately kept clear of engagements to allow members to enjoy a well-earned summer holiday. The month before Christmas is another busy period and the Band is always proud to play at the Remembrance Day services in Woodstock and Yarnton. Competitions are felt to be both a good way to develop technically and to engender a team spirit, and the Band is a strong supporter of the Oxfordshire and District Brass Band Association competitions, where it has enjoyed much success.
All groups practice on the same evenings, Monday and Thursday, with the Beginners and Training Band meeting at 6.30 - 7.30pm and the Senior Band, 7.30 - 8.45pm. The Band has recently had to vacate its bandroom of many years, and now meets at William Fletcher Primary School in Rutten Lane, Yarnton. Although the loss of the old bandroom was a disappointment, the new strong ties with the school are a positive feature, with many new players being recruited from the school. The current band membership is drawn strongly from Yarnton, but with a large contingent from nearby Kidlington, and others drawn from other surrounding villages. There is no bar to membership in any respect - even the lack of any musical experience is not a problem, because we believe that everyone is capable of learning something, contributing to, and, most importantly, of enjoying being a Band member.