Any claims of being the world's greatest, biggest or best must always be treated with healthy scepticism. When Buddy the Elf in the titular film leaves the North Pole for New York, he is delighted to discover a café selling the ‘world's best’ coffee. So delighted, that he brings a date to the dicey establishment, which confirms the taste is mediocre.
But there are exceptions. Grimethorpe uses the strapline ‘the world's most famous colliery band’ with perfectly good justification. The ensemble, well-known in the UK since its formation during the First World War, became internationally recognised after its story was used as the basis for Brassed Off, the 1996 film starring Ewan McGregor. As depicted in the film, the band was formed by workers at the Grimethorpe pit, who, despite fading fortunes as the coal industry contracted, found solace in music. Grimethorpe Colliery Band has continued to play at an increasingly high level, appearing at the Proms, winning competitions, and premiering new music (notably Birtwistle's Grimethorpe Aria). Now the group is reconnecting with its original communities in South Yorkshire as part of a series of educational initiatives encouraging more people to explore brass playing.
All are welcome
‘We have some people in our bands who haven't played since they were children’, says Jim Fletcher, Grimethorpe's education lead. ‘There's one man who hadn't touched an instrument for over forty years – he's doing really well.’ At the core of Grimethorpe Education are weekly Brassworks sessions. These take place in Sheffield and Grimethorpe and are open to all.
‘There hasn't been a community brass band in Crookes, where were meet (in Sheffield), for eighty-odd years’, says Fletcher. ‘We've now got more than 40 players together, with 20 more in a training band as part of the grassroots work.’
Members play a variety of instruments – and if newcomers aren't yet playing a brass instrument, this shouldn't put them off. Interested parties are provided with both an instrument and tuition from a Grimethorpe tutor. In an educational landscape where instrumental lessons are increasingly out of reach, this is an extraordinary offering.
‘Grimethorpe provides the instruments for its local band, with support from our partner ensemble, the Grimethorpe and District Band. For the Sheffield sessions, we've managed to get donations – we've been supported by some makers and people saying: “I've got a euphonium lying around, do you want it?” Choosing a brass instrument can be daunting – and expensive – so it's great to be able to offer people the chance to try before they buy. South Yorkshire Music Service has loaned us equipment, too,’ reveals Fletcher.
Middle band sectional, led by Jim Fletcher (Courtesy Grimethorpe)
The talent pipeline
Musical development has its place alongside regular rehearsals, with the Grimethorpe Workshop Days being favourite events in the calendar. The workshops, held termly at the Barnsley Civic, welcome over a hundred young brass players from across the country. This initiative has a broader aim, however, beyond an ideal get-together. ‘It's a celebration of musical excellence and a testament to Grimethorpe's commitment to nurturing the next generation of brass players’, explains Fletcher, who has played in the main Grimethorpe band for nearly 25 years.
Brass bands have a distinctive place in British music. Their associations with the mining industry may have dimmed, but the importance of the camaraderie they offer has not. Grimethorpe has recently collaborated with neighbouring bands – including Tapton School Brass Band, Maltby Miners Welfare Youth Band, Dobcross Youth Band and the Barnsley Metropolitan Brass Band – to strengthen local efforts. Young players of Grade 6 standard and above can join the Grimethorpe North of England Youth Band – a dynamic group that performs to a high level, including at the Royal Northern College of Music International Brass Festival.
Fletcher mentions one player who started in a primary school band supported by Grimethorpe – she's now principal tuba of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. ‘She never had any experience with music until the band sessions, and it's unlikely she would have had a chance elsewhere’, he says.
‘She'll probably go on to have a career in music – so we're opening up pathways in that sense. But the brass bands are not just about that; there's something for everybody to enjoy. Not every kid who plays football will go on to be a professional football player.’
Cross-curricular connections
In addition to the Brassworks projects, Grimethorpe has been working with Barnsley Music Hub to support seven Primary School Brass Bands in the area, amplifying the impact on young learners in the region. Following a year of whole-class learning, children are provided with continued access to brass instruments and the chance to play in an ensemble, ensuring continuity in their music education.
There's also ‘A Grimethorpe Adventure’, a project tailored for primary school children who are just beginning their exploration of brass instruments. It features Kim the Canary, who leads pupils through the Grimethorpe mines. ‘We asked composers to write a dozen movements, with little bits of story in between’, explains Fletcher, who has extensive teaching experience through Wakefield Music Service and, prior to that, as a primary school teacher. ‘It's aimed at beginners, with the options to use backing-tracks or a live brass band. It's free for schools and services to download and use [see link below]. We've performed it in concert a few times with some of the primary school brass bands we work with.’
The Grimethorpe resources are ideal for teachers looking for cross-curricular connections. Barnsley Music Hub recently supported an away-day at the Barnsley Civic, where a hundred primary school children learnt about the mining industry through the lens of music. The culmination of their efforts resulted in a concert performed for their parents, with some children returning to join the full band in an evening concert – an experience that left a lasting impact on all involved.
‘It's about supporting the entire ecosystem’, concludes Fletcher, ‘from the Grimethorpe Adventure to the training bands and then the Colliery band itself – there's a place for everyone.’
