Applications are invited for this vacancy, which has arisen following the retirement of our long-term musical director, Michael Pegram FVCM, ARCM, psm (hons.). The band has thrived under his leadership and grown in musicality. We are looking for a new MD to take us forward into the future.
- Please indicate your interest using the contact form on this page as soon as possible, and before 17th August 2026
- We will contact you for further information about yourself and to ask you to submit your CV
- Interviews (which may be online) and auditions will be scheduled from the beginning of September. Auditions will take place in the context of our regular Monday evening rehearsals
We are a friendly community adult wind band, and pride ourselves on being welcoming to new members. All our members show great commitment to the band, and are very caring and supportive of one another. We are always striving to improve our musicality, but we value commitment and potential to grow with the band over playing ability, although we do expect new recruits to be at least grade 6 or above. Working closely with the committee, our new MD will help maintain the band's welcoming culture and community focus while guiding it towards the highest possible musical standards.
Our new MD will be expected to conduct the vast majority of our rehearsals, gigs, and tours:
- We rehearse on Monday evenings throughout the year from 19:30 to 21:45 near Stokenchurch in Buckinghamshire, just off junction 5 of the M40. We also hold occasional workshop days and sectional rehearsals at weekends, and Open Rehearsals to help recruit new members.
- We hold two or three indoor concerts each year, usually in Stokenchurch Community Centre. We also hold occasional concerts in larger venues, in conjunction with other groups, such as choirs. Our annual Christmas Cracker concert each December is a great favourite with the band and our audience - this year it is on Saturday 19th December at 4pm - an experiment with an earlier start than our usual 7:30pm.
- We aim to enjoy a band tour each year, either in the UK or abroad. For our latest tour, we spent 2 nights in a delightful hotel just outside Wareham, and played on Swanage and Christchurch bandstands. It is several years since we ventured abroad, but it is something we hope to do again in the future.
The MD is responsible for selecting the music programme for our performances, working closely with our librarian. We have an extensive library of music to choose from, and an annual budget for new music. The MD should choose an exciting and varied repertoire that challenges and motivates players and delights audiences
The MD is responsible for planning and conducting rehearsals, which should be purposeful, collaborative and enjoyable, enabling players of varied experience to develop their musicality and confidence.
The ideal candidate will
- Have first class conducting skills and experience with wind bands or similar ensembles
- Have excellent communication skills to compere our concerts
- Have experience working with amateur musicians to inspire them to perform beyond their expectations
- Have a positive, encouraging attitude that promotes players' growth and enjoyment
- Be familiar with music for wind bands
- Have experience of playing a woodwind or brass instrument to a good standard
- Be able to help all woodwind and brass instrumentalists improve their technique