About Us

Earley's Trinity Concert Band was founded by Michael Steele in July 2001 in order to bring together musicians who enjoy playing in a group of friendly, like-minded and mutually-supportive people.

The Trinity Concert Band has grown in size and now has over 50 playing members whose enthusiasm and dedication has resulted in presenting and performing concerts to a very high standard. Our concerts and events are always designed to entertain with "music for all tastes" which are enjoyed by our appreciative and loyal audiences.

Following Michael's retirement in 2006, the band has continued under the baton of Peter Cole who has helped the band to rapidly gain a reputation for not only the quality of its playing but the depth and breadth of its repertoire.

The Band very much appreciates the generous and continuing support of The Patrons of Trinity Concert Band, and have received grants from The Earley Charity, The Arts Council of England, Awards for All, The Earley Town Council and The Wokingham District Council.

 

Our repertoire

 

Trinity Concert Band is a full symphonic wind band and our repertoire exploits the tonal qualities such an ensemble can offer.  We play music from all sources – classical transcriptions, original concert band compositions, music from stage and screen, pop, rock and swing as well as traditional marches! 

 

As we perform formal concerts between 5 and 8 times a year there is a challenge to produce programmes that both stimulate and develop the band as well as entertaining our audience.  When the Band surveyed its audience early on 2008, it discovered, unsurprisingly, that our audiences’ tastes were catholic and wide-ranging.  What they appreciate in a concert is variety; this is now the key element in our programme selection. 

 

Another key feature of our programmes is that at least 25% of the pieces are brand-new to the band (and probably to the audience too!).  This amount of new material requires hard work as we typically have between 5 and 10 rehearsals before a concert.  Although 2008 was exceptional because of our trip to Prague, where we performed 3 concerts, during the year Trinity played 83 different pieces of music!  In a more typical year, the number is a mere 40-50.  Listed below is our repertoire for 2008.

 

We try and include as many solos/duets/ensembles in our concerts as we can, encouraging as many players as possible, not just the “chosen few”, to take the limelight.  We believe this builds the confidence of players as well as developing their technique.

 

The last feature of Trinity’s repertoire is its relative difficulty.  Trinity is a community band and its members span a wide range of musical ability.  Our repertoire is selected to satisfy the better players and to stretch the less capable.  The Band appreciates and responds well to this challenge.  Long may it continue!