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Macclesfield Concert Band
Macclesfield Concert Band was formed as KEMS Concert Band in 2005 and its
membership continues to grow under the popular leadership of Julia Harding.
We play a broad range of light music: film scores, musicals, classical, jazz and
swing, and band classics such as Sousa marches. We perform in local churches, village and community halls, shopping centres and,
weather permitting, bandstands.
Macclesfield Concert Band is a community wind band whose members range in age from late
teens to 70+. We always welcome enquiries from prospective players; in the first instance,
please e-mail us brief details of your playing experience.
At the present time, we have a particular need for trumpet, string bass/bass guitar, euphonium, tuba players. Contact Laura Blackburn if you would like to know more.
Macclesfield Concert Band Music Director Julia Harding looks back on the 2024-25
season
The season started with our sixth tour – to Bournemouth, Swanage and Christchurch.
Apart from a bit of rain on the first afternoon, we had good weather, and it was another great tour.
Many thanks to Kathryn Moore for all her hard work in planning and managing us for a second time.
Our first main concert was in November at St Michael’s – a full programme of sometimes
challenging pieces which the band performed very well. Our Christmas Carols had to be moved to Trinity
Church in Hurdsfield this year because the Victoria Park bandstand was being repaired. Unfortunately, a
power outage at Tatton meant that the park had to be closed on the day we should have been playing in the
stableyard!
Again, we performed a full programme of challenging repertoire at our concert in
Congleton – the church has been a very good venue for concerts with its own supportive committee and
refreshments team.
Our final indoor concert of the year was a new venture for us – a concert with KEMS
Macclesfield Singers. The feedback has been very positive from the audience, singers and band and I was really
pleased with how well it worked. My thanks to Mark McCombs for working with us.
For the summer concerts, we hoped to be playing at Tegg’s Nose, so fingers crossed for our
annual concert at Victoria Park on 6th July before our ‘birthday bash’ on Wednesday 9th July.
This year we’ve said goodbye to John Mansfield who was a longstanding member of the band and
welcomed Rosie, Suzanne and Janet as new members. We’ve lots to look forward to in the next season, including
the main Christmas concert with the Singers as well as a tour to Devon
As ever, thanks to the Band Committee for their support and to all the members of the band
who do jobs which help with the running of rehearsals and concerts.
CONTACTS
You can contact the band committee either by email (click on the name) or by
telephoning the Secretary.
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Position
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Name/email
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Tel
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Secretary
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Music Director
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Concerts Manager
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WORLD PREMIERE
On 15th October 2017, KEMS Concert Band gave the world premiere performance of
Martian Saloon, by Christopher Schlechte-Bond. Click here to hear the BBC Radio 3 recording.
Macclesfield Concert Band Director: Julia Harding
Julia Harding started playing the recorder at her primary school but really caught the music
bug when she was asked to play the drums and cymbals in a secondary school
production of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by David Bedford - at about the
same time she had started to play a clarinet that used to belong to her dad.
When the school formed its jazz band, Julia started to play the saxophone and played in many concerts, school
productions and shows. She first played with KEMS Orchestra at this time - third clarinet in Verdi's
Triumphal March! She then studied for a BA in Music at Dartington College of Arts and Master's Degrees at Reading and Sheffield Universities.
Julia assisted in founding the KEMS Concert Band. She teaches woodwind and leads
ensembles in Staffordshire and Cheshire schools, has a private teaching
practice at her home in Macclesfield and conducts the Newcastle-Under-Lyme
String Orchestra. She has appeared with the Beckford String Quartet, the KEMS
Concert Band and Newcastle Strings as a soloist.
