A History of the Band

The band was originally formed in 1994 as the Aylesbury Town Band, and was reconstituted in 1996 as the Aylesbury Community Concert Band. It attained charitable status in 1997.

Since its formation the band has given concerts and has played at carnivals, school fetes, church services and civic occasions, both in the town of Aylesbury and in the surrounding area. In 1998 the band toured the Moselle region of Germany, giving public performances in the spa town of Bad Bertrich, and at the Piesport Wine festival.

In November 1999 the Band entered the National Wind Band Festival and was awarded a Bronze in the Community Band Class, a considerable achievement for the Band's first attempt. Then in September 2000, following the BBC's refusal to permit the actual Last Night of the Proms to be relayed to the town, the Band rose to the occasion to provide Aylesbury's own "Last Night" in Market Square. The concert and traditional singing was enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience of 1000 people.

Aylesbury Band, October 1998

The Band prior to its visit to Germany in October 1998

2001 will be remembered for the exchange visits with the Watauga Community Band of Boone, North Carolina, USA. In June the American band visited Aylesbury and in October the Aylesbury Band travelled to Boone. Both visits were highly successful and much enjoyed by all those who took part. Then in November the band entered the National Wind Band Festival again, this time achieving a silver medal.

In 2002, the Band played an important part in events to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee, with special concerts at St Mary's Church, Aylesbury, and in villages around Aylesbury. The Band now merited a number of regular engagements, such as the third "Last Night of the Proms" in September, and several popular carol concerts in the run up to Christmas. In October 2002, the Band made another tour abroad, this time to the Belgian town of Bruges, performing concerts in the nearby towns of Aalst and Gent. Then in 2004 the Band returned to Germany, visiting Lahr in the southwest of the country, on the edge of the Black Forest.

At the end of 2006 Alan Mossford stepped down as Director of Music, but not before leading the band to the award of a Gold Medal at the National Concert Band Festival, a fitting reward for his hard work developing the band over the years. He is succeeded by Duncan Stubbs