Under the spotlight: Arbroath Instrumental

Arbroath Instrumental Band enjoys a busy and varied schedule of engagements.

FINAL touches are being added to Arbroath Instrumental Band's test piece as it goes under the spotlight ahead of the Band Supplies Scottish Challenge.

The Angus band is conducted by Mike Robertson, a musician with a glittering record for nurturing young players and helping them reach their full potential.

Arbroath Instrumental will be looking for further success when it performs at the Grand Hall in Kilmarnock on November 19.

Principal players

History

Arbroath Instrumental Band celebrated 120 years of existence in 2013. The instrumental band is one of Arbroath’s longest running musical organisations. It came into existence mainly due to the horticultural society’s annual show, held at Gayfield Park on August 4, 1893. Incorporated into the show was a brass band contest between six bands and the event was described at the time in the Arbroath Herald as ‘an altogether enjoyable experience for the people of Arbroath'.

The Gayfield contest sparked off calls for Arbroath to have a band equal to the bands heard on that day and a small outfit with the name of the 1^st FAV Band, a military operated group evolved into the newly formed Arbroath Instrumental Band. A plea for any business or local worthies to provide funds to equip the band was issued and two men, Mr Colin Grant of Woodside and Mr WK MacDonald provided some much needed assistance.

After its foundation the band went from strength to strength, taking part in competitions in the newly formed Northern Counties Brass Band Assocation and the Scottish Brass Band Association competitions and in 1909 the band won promotion into the championhip section by being placed first out of 25 bands in the second section. This meant that Arbroath Instrumental Band was one of the foremost bands in the country.

Due to falling numbers the band found itself in a particularly lean period however in 1998 Michael Robertson, a local brass instructor joined the ranks and in 1999 accepted the role of musical director.  

Michael was born in Alloa and studied at the Royal College of Music, London, gaining a GRSM (Hons) degree and an ARCM diploma. He remained at the RCM for a further years study which led to him gaining a post graduate diploma in advanced studies.

Mike is currently a tutor with the reserve and training bands of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland, and Musical Director and conductor of the Carnoustie and District Youth Brass Band.

In recognition of his outstanding work and achievements in the teaching of young brass players, Michael was awarded the Mortimer Medal in 2011 at a presentation given by the Worshipful Company of Musicians. This was only the second time a Scotsman had received this prestigious award.  

Mike has taken Arbroath Instrumental from fourth section to second section over the course of four years, crowned Scottish second section champions in 2009. This led to promotion to the first section in 2010. Over that period the band had two trips to the National Brass Band Championships in Torquay in 2004 and Harrogate in 2009.

The band now has the biggest membership in its long history with upwards of 35+ members plus a thriving youth band which now hosts its own concert every year and has an average age of just 13, but which also boasts a membership of over 30 young players.

In 2011 Ann Ness, the principal cornet player in the band was awarded a lifetime medal from Scottish Brass Band Association for 40 years service to banding, following in her father (Vic Lewis') footsteps. The other lifetime member in the band is Rob Johnstone.    

In recent years the Arbroath Instrumental Youth band has also had tremendous success winning the Community Section of the Scottish Youth Brass Band Championships in 2008 and runners up in the last two years.

The band regularly performs at concerts in and around the Angus and Dundee area and particularly enjoys relaxing at a good ceilidh!