Walthamstow’s East London Brass Band is heading to the Brass Band Championship Finals at the Royal Albert Hall this Saturday, writes Madison Yarbrough
Walthamstow’s East London Brass Band is heading to the Brass Band Championship Finals at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 11th October.
It is the first time the band is making the finals in its over 100 year history.
I sat down with band manager, Oliver Sikora, to discuss the band’s journey and their excitement for how far they’ve progressed.
Oliver says he honed in on the band’s organic approach to growing. There is no hiring and firing, only leaving and then replacing with someone even better. This method makes their arrival at the finals all the more meaningful to the band.
Some band members are music students, some are amateurs who enjoy the craft, and some even work in the bands for the armed forces.
To better understand the level at which the band is competing, Sikora compared it to football. The different divisions represent the level of talent, success, and fame. East London Brass band has been in the premier league, so to speak, for eight or nine years now.
Reaching the finals is like playing in the FA Cup at Wembley stadium. At the final, each band will perform the same piece of music. They will then play for three judges who are sealed in a box in the auditorium, so they can hear the music but not see the bands on stage.
“It’s a lifelong ambition for any brass band-er and certainly in my case, it’s what I’ve always wanted to do since playing in brass bands since eight years old.”
Some members of the band have been participating for over 40 years, making the arrival at the finals even more thrilling.
Oliver’s job as band manager has to do with mainly keeping everyone happy and present. He works alongside a board of leadership who tackle many other aspects of the band’s success.
Oliver makes sure everyone is practicing in person and at home, and follows up with each band member to ensure the overall success of the band.
Rehearsing at Trinity Walthamstow United Reform Church on Thursday nights, and then in the lead-up to the contest, additional rehearsals on Tuesday nights, the band is currently dedicated to perfecting their set piece this Saturday.
The band not only strives to win this final championship, it also has a history of putting on events for its community.
On 6th December, they will play the live score to The Snowman as it’s screened at Elim Pentecostal Church in Leytonstone.
For more information on their community events, including an upcoming open rehearsal, go here
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