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About the Band |
The Jaguar (Coventry) Band is a championship brass band that has entertainment at the top of its agenda. This famous brass band features thirty of the finest brass and percussion players from the midlands offering entertainment from the complete music spectrum such as classical, big-band and the shows. These all-volunteer musicians uphold the traditions of superb music making and focus on sharing their unique style of entertainment for the benefit and enjoyment of others. Our history goes back over fifty years, when the late Jack Major formed an Air Training Corps Band in the late 1940's. After World War II it was renamed the Coventry Boys Band, later becoming Coventry School of Music Brass Band. In 1957 Coventry Festival Band emerged under the directorship of Jack Major, Jack retired in 1970 and a succession of conductors passed through the band including Philip Cooper and Dick Arrand. From 1982 to 2002 the band was known as The Rolls-Royce (Coventry) Band. Adopting the name of our then sponsor. This twenty-year period was to become very successful during which time the band was promoted to the championship section. |
The band is invited to take part in many concerts throughout the UK and has toured extensively throughout Europe. In November 2006 the band visited the USA and toured the Chicago area where we were honoured to accept an invitation, to attend the famous 'US Open Brass Band Championships' where the band was awarded, the Best March, Best Buskers and the runners-up prizes. The bands aim is to be ambassadors for the City of Coventry and Jaguar Cars and to ensure the band not only entertains, but also will 'thrill' with each and every performance. |
In September 2002 Jaguar Cars Ltd took over the sponsorship of the band. The band pro-actively assists Jaguar by supporting the local community both in promotional work but more importantly by assisting local charities and good causes such as NSPCC, Baby lifeline, Mencap, Myton Hospice, Coventry Snowball Appeal, Round Table, Muscular Dystrophy, British Legion, The Salvation Army, and National Children's Homes to name a few! |
It was back in 1988 when the band appointed its current Musical Director, Dave Lea, the band saw significant contest success and now the band is consistently judged as one of the top brass bands in the country. Since then the band has had many competition successes and awarded numerous trophies and titles including Champion First Section Band of Great Britain in 1995, Milton Keynes Entertainment Champions 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000 & 2001 and Grand Shield Runners up in 1999. In addition the band has compete in The 'British Open' at Birmingham Symphony Hall in 1999 & 2000 and 'The All England Masters' at The Cambridge Corn Exchange in 2001 & 2002. The pinnacle however wasIachieved in October 2006 when the band was honoured to take part in the 'National Brass Band Finals' at the Albert Hall in London for the first time in its history. |