Rushden town band hits the high note with Midland championship win
Contest victory and top individual awards crown a busy period for the band.
On 28 February, the band competed at the Oxford and District Brass Association Winter Contest, where they secured third place and also won awards for Best Horn Player and Best Instrumentalist of the Day.
A week later they went one better at the prestigious Midland Area Championships, winning the First Section title and bringing the championship back to Rushden. The victory qualifies the band for the National Finals at the York Barbican in September.
The band’s solo cornet player, Matt Freestone, was named Best Instrumentalist in the First Section.
Rushden Town Band, led by musical director Adele Hudson, performs regularly across the county and is particularly in demand during the Christmas season. Alongside a busy concert schedule, the band competes in at least two contests each year.
The band has also begun touring abroad, visiting Ypres in 2023 and the Rhineland in 2025. Plans are already being made for a 2027 tour to Normandy, where members hope to take part in D-Day commemorations.
Rehearsals are normally held on Mondays and Wednesdays at Rushden Hall, but in the run-up to the contests the band increased practices to four nights a week - a commitment that clearly paid off with these outstanding results.
If you would like to find out more about the band, go to our website: www.rushdentownband.com or visit our facebook page Rushden Town Band.