East of Scotland area association is born again

A Scottish area brass band association that has been inactive for the past five years was resurrected at the weekend following an extra general meeting of interested bands.

Attendees at the EGM voted in favour of reviving the association – formerly know as the Mid Scotland and Lothian Brass Band Association – under the formally adopted name of the East of Scotland Brass Band Association.

EoSBBA officers appointed were:

President: Derek Brown (Bathgate Band)

Vice-President: Chris Ludwig (Newtongrange Silver Band)

Interim Secretary: Ann Murray (Scottish Brass Band Association vice-president)

Treasurer: Graham Adam (Newtongrange Silver Band).

The first meeting of the association will be held virtually on 25 June at 2.30pm.

“SBBA are delighted that the East of Scotland Brass Band Association has reformed and we look forward to working with them,” said Ann Murray, who has been liaising with area band representatives to get the association re-established.

“It’s exciting to get things going again after quite a long dormant period and we are hoping that our first event will be a Youth Solo and Ensemble Championships around January 2024 which will qualify players for the SBBA youth finals. This is an event which has been missing from the East of Scotland calendar for a number of years.”

Some of the bands who qualify for membership of the new association are Bathgate, Bo’ness & Carriden, Kirkton Brass, Queensferry Community Brass, Unison Kinneil, Whitburn and Whitburn Heartlands, Dalkeith & Monktonhall, MacTaggart Scott Loanhead, St David’s Brass, Newtongrange Silver, Penicuik Silver, Broxburn & Luvingston, Edinburgh University Brass Band, Musselburgh Fisherrow and Bonnyrigg & Lasswade Brass.

Derek Brown commented: “After five or so years of inactivity, we felt it was important to get the East of Scotland association back up and running. 

“Our primary objective is to ensure our young people have the opportunity to compete in the Scottish Youth Solo and Ensemble Championships and the East of Scotland area finals will provide a platform for qualification for this. Ideally we will have the resource available to commit to running a regional contest in January 2024. 

“Alongside opportunities for young people, we are keen to investigate options for a regional adult contest, providing a platform to demonstrate the merits and quality of the brass banding movement in the East of Scotland.”