A special breakout session at The Brass Band Conference 2023 will offer delegates the chance to attend a talk about the development of the Brass Bands Archive (BBA) as well as participate in a guided tour of the Strong Room and view a temporary exhibition of brass band memorabilia.
The Brass Band Conference is an annual event that brings together banders from across the country to learn, share and network. This year’s event has the theme of ‘Heritage and Innovation’ and will take place on 7 October at the University of Huddersfield, where the BBA is also housed at Heritage Quay, the university’s records management site.
The Brass Bands Archive is a huge collection of brass band music, journals, books and more, which has been undergoing a process of appraisal and listing since 2021, after it was inherited by Brass Bands England.
Places on the archive tour are strictly limited to 30 individuals and therefore advanced registration to attend this session will be essential. Registration for this conference session will open on Friday 1 September and remain open until Friday 15 September or when spaces are filled.
Discover our brass band heritage
The recently undergone process of cataloguing the archive offers much that bands can learn from on subjects such as engaging volunteers, following correct copyright procedures and digitising a music collection. Delivered by University Archivist Dr Rebecca Bowd and her team at Heritage Quay, the session will offer the opportunity to learn about the history of the BBA and the work that has been done to preserve the collection and open up access to its items.
A special exhibition will feature some of the most interesting items from the collection - like the Grenada 'Band of the Year' trophy and a selection of historical event programmes. Plus, find out what's next for the Archive and how your band can access it.
Don’t miss out
Anyone who would like to take up this opportunity of an Archive Tour will need to purchase their Conference ticket prior to 1 September to be eligible to access registration.
For those who wish to attend a different breakout session during their Conference day, additional access to the temporary exhibition in the Research Room will be available during the lunch break and afternoon breakout sessions.
Book your ticket for The Brass Band Conference.