2018 marks a special celebration for two members of the Band.

Ian Colman began his interest in Brass Bands at School. In 1978 at the age of 11 he joined Taverham Band as a 3rd Cornet player, progressing to Principal Cornet in 1983.

In 1992, at the age of 27, he was appointed Musical Director of the Band and this year will be completing 40 years of service – one of the longest serving members of today’s line-up.

He was awarded the MBE for Services to the Community in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours list in 2016, attending Buckingham Palace in January 2017 to collect his award, although sadly the Band was not invited to play on that occasion!

Peter Almond, Solo Horn player, will be 90 years old this year and as a special birthday treat has been asked to select some of the music for the Band’s Spring concert at Taverham Village Hall.

Peter has had a long career in music which he commenced in his teens as relief trumpet player at the Norwich Hippodrome Theatre, before joining the RAF Band at Cranwell in 1946.  Thereafter he played professionally with many top musicians including the Joe Loss Orchestra and some of the top brass bands in Britain.  He worked at the Hippodrome in Norwich for 10 years until it closed in 1959.

This coincided with the opening of the Britannia Pier Theatre in Great Yarmouth, with a summer season lasting 20 weeks, 6 days a week. Peter joined an orchestra supporting such famous names as The Beverley Sisters, Mike & Bernie Winters, Morecambe & Wise, Bob Monkhouse, Des O’ Connor, Ken Dodd, Jimmy Tarbuck, and Bruce Forsyth.

He later played in pantomime and circus bands with many other celebrities.  After retiring as a professional player in 1984 he worked for several years as Brass teacher at the Town Close School in Norwich and joined the Taverham Band in 1974 where his knowledge and experience have been ‘instrumental’ in the development of the Band.

It is appropriate therefore that our Spring Concert should have a strong element of nostalgia as Ian and Peter have chosen a programme of their favourite music from the Band’s wide repertoire developed over many years. Look out for some golden oldies!

Taverham Band Spring Concerts

Fri/Sat 23^rd/24^th March– 7.30pm

Taverham Village Hall – Taverham

Tickets £8 (Child £4)

Click Here to buy online

Or from Drayton Post Office, The Kitchenary (Taverham Nursery) or Abbotts Estate Agents (Taverham)

Ian Colman MBE – Musical Director

01603 868680