Shipston Town Band
Shipston Town Band is a vibrant and talented ensemble that has become an integral part of the Shipston-on-Stour community.
The band was formed in 1912 as a result of a bet between William Holman, a former military bandmaster, and Frank Parsons, a local auctioneer. The bet was whether Holman could train a band within 6 weeks, fit to march the streets of Shipston. The band paraded on Thursday, 16th May 1912, pausing at each corner to play a waltz. Holman won the bet, and the band has been in existence ever since. After the Second World War, the band was restarted by Bert Smith, a player from the pre-war band and some of his family are still in the band. Under the guidance of their talented new conductor, Alex Bland, who joined in September 2023,
Shipston Town Band competes in the third section and has lined up several concerts for the coming months. In addition to concerts and contests, our members actively participate in community events and festivals with our four ensembles: besides the contesting band, we have a non-contesting community band, Stour Concert Brass, a Brass Ensemble, a small group which explores a diverse repertoire of informal and popular tunes, and a Training Band, for beginners or less experienced brass players.