Our Story – Devizes Town Band

Devizes Town Band carries on a strong tradition of local musicianship, and now under the leadership of MD Sharon Lindo, the band has built a great reputation, attracting new members from a 25 mile radius of Devizes.

Here’s a brief timeline of the band’s recent history:

2020: BSO Tutor Robb Tooley joined our Zoom conference to give us an excellent hour of coaching on articulation & phrasing.
2020: During Lockdown, we are now making one video a month.
2020: On the eve of what would have been our Magic & Monsters Concert, we released our first video… rehearsed and recorded remotely – it was excellent, and made our local media.
2020: Weekly meetings moved to video conferencing, firstly informal chats and a quiz, then we held rehearsals, recording some Easter hymns.
2020: In March, COVID-19 restrictions caused all rehearsals and performances to be suspended.
2019: Celebrating 50 years since the Summer of ’69 (and first the moon landing) we’ve been squeezing into various bandstands!
2019: Our Spring Concert, Greatest Love Themes, was our best to date; subtly complemented with professional audio and lighting.
2019: Tutors from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra led brass and woodwind workshops – excellent sessions!
2018: The Christmas Concert was sold out… again, and the band was busy entertaining, and raising cash for Alzheimer’s Support
2018: The band produced its first DVD. 100 copies of ‘For King and Country’ sold out in less than 2 weeks
2018: On 11 Nov, the band together with actors and choirs staged a spectacular and poignant show ‘For King and Country’
2018: September saw our ever popular Proms season in Hillworth Park
2018: We were delighted to welcome our 50th member to the band
2018: The band went on tour to Bournemouth, played on the bandstand… then ice creams and fish & chips!
2018: Our April concert became ever more complex, themed on Heroes & Villains, it included a few special effects!
2018: We held workshops for both Brass and Woodwind, led by our friends from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
2017: With the ‘shows’ concept firmly established, this year’s concert was ‘Space Encounter’
2017: A tutor from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra led professional development workshop for Brass
2016: Following the success in 2015, the band’s April concert had a ‘Musicals’ theme
2016: The band invested £8,000 in new timps, bass drum & tam tam, transforming the percussion section
2015: As part of our Christmas season, we raised money for the new Julia’s House Hospice
2015: September saw the addition of the Children’s Proms to the hugely popular Proms season in Hillworth Park
2015: Our Hollywood inspired ‘Movies in Concert’ in April, moving our patriotic concert to September
2014: We welcomed our 40th member to the list of current musicians
2014: We held our first open rehearsal, inviting young players to experience live music
2014: We were delighted and honoured to perform at our first wedding; of our flautist, Carol, to Sam. A wonderful day!
2013: The band opened the proceedings at the inaugural Proms in the Park in Hillworth Park, Devizes
2012: Sharon Lindo became Musical Director, contributing her wealth of professional experience as an orchestral and theatre musician
2008: We gave our first performance outside of Wiltshire, at the Royal Victoria Park in Bath
2007: In November, we gave our first Poppy Appeal Concert in aid of the Royal British Legion
2007: We worked with the Mayor of Devizes, Cllr Don Jones to launch our St. George’s Day Concerts
2005: In November, we staged our first charity concert, with support from Kennet Vale Band
2005: We welcomed John Blaker as Musical Director from Portishead Town Band, where he had acted as Bandmaster
2003: The first woodwind player joined the band, which started a change in musical direction
2001: Mike Ward moved away from the area and Peter Francis took over as Musical Director
2001: We became the Devizes Town Band and gained permission from the Town Council to use the town crest
2000: Mike Ward of Bratton Silver Band joined as Musical Director, rehearsing at the Wyvern Club
1999:The Alpha Wind Ensemble was formed on April 25th