Bisham Concert Band is a friendly community band made up of local people who share a love of making music together. We take great pleasure in performing and enjoy sharing the joy of live music with audiences of all ages.

We are active throughout the year, performing a varied programme of indoor concerts and outdoor events across our local area and beyond. During the summer months, you’ll often find us playing on bandstands and at community celebrations, including popular regular engagements such as Nether Winchendon Fete and Cookham Regatta. Each year we also present a much-loved Christmas concert in Stokenchurch. Many of our performances are organised in partnership with local charities, helping to raise funds for good causes.

The band also enjoys touring. While we have travelled abroad in the past, more recent tours have taken us to UK destinations including Bournemouth and Lymington, and Hastings and Deal.

Our Music

As a concert band, our instrumentation includes woodwind and brass, supported by a range of percussion and a string bass. Our repertoire is broad and varied, covering music to suit a wide range of audiences and occasions.

Our Members

We pride ourselves on being a welcoming, supportive and inclusive group. Members come from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and musical experiences, and we aim to create a positive environment where everyone feels valued and encouraged.

Rather than focusing on formal qualifications, we are keen to attract committed musicians who enjoy playing as part of a team and want to help the band continue to develop. Our current repertoire generally suits players of around Grade 6 standard or above.

Please see our Join Us page for details of current vacancies, but we are always happy to hear from woodwind, brass or percussion players.

Our History

The band was founded in the early 1970s by Trevor Steventon as the Maidenhead Youth Centre Concert Band. In the late 1970s it relocated to Bisham School, where Trevor was teaching music, and was renamed the Bisham Riverside Concert Band.

Following Trevor’s retirement, the baton was passed to William T. Higgs. The band continued to grow and, in 1998, moved to the Wycliffe Centre in Horsleys Green near Stokenchurch. With no nearby river, the name was shortened to Bisham Concert Band.

Subsequent redevelopment of the Wycliffe Centre led to further moves, first to Stokenchurch Primary School and then to our current rehearsal venue in Studley Green.

William T. Higgs retired in 1998 and was succeeded by Beatrix Taylor, who conducted the band until 2006. From autumn 2006 the band was led by Colin Ridgers (formerly of the Band of the 8th Hussars and the REME Staff Band), followed by David McLellan (formerly of the Band of the Irish Guards). Since October 2012, the band has gone from strength to strength under the direction of Michael Pegram.
 

Our Musical Director

Michael PegramThe band’s Musical Director is MICHAEL J. PEGRAM  FVCM, ARCM, psm (hons.) Michael started his professional career with the band of Her Majesty’s Welsh Guards in 1971 and toured extensively with them.  During his time with the guards he studied with Denis Wick, principal trombone with the LSO and professor of trombone at the Guildhall, London.

In 1977 he was accepted for the 3 year bandmasters’ course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall.  He emerged with top honours, including the conducting prize and the coveted Worshipful Company of Musicians’ medal for the best student bandmaster.  In 1980 he was appointed bandmaster of the Royal Regiment of Wales and later transferred to the 9th/12th Royal Lancers.

Michael is an established arranger & composer for band music and has worked both on radio and tv. He has also adjudicated brass and wind band competitions in England and Wales.

He was formerly Musical Director of the RAF Halton Band, an appointment he held from 1990.  He was at one time an examiner for brass at Trinity Guildhall in London.

 

See more about the band on our Facebook page.