Links with Meltham CE School

Back in 2019 we were approached by Katy Jones to ask if we had any provision for beginner brass playing in Meltham. At the time we had a Junior Band but no group to start beginners off. Katy Jones lives in Meltham and is the Principal Trombone player of the Halle Orchestra. Katy approached Meltham C of E Primary School and offered her time to teach brass instruments to beginners. The problem was limited instruments and recourses. The school allowed the use of the Hall at 8am every Monday morning but everything else needed to be organised and sourced. This is how Metham & Meltham Mills Band got involved. We gathered up all spare instruments we had, cleaned and repaired them. There was an assembly at the school demonstrating brass instruments and children got a form sent home asking if they were interested. This generated over 90 replies! We only have so many instruments so children’s names were drawn out of a hat to make the selection process fair. This was the very start of an exciting new venture to get children involved in brass playing in Meltham. The group was set up and 20 children attended school on a Monday morning at 8am for a group lesson. Katy led the tuition and a representative from the band was there to assist with instruments, music, sticky valves etc. Unfortunately, after all this hard work Covid hit and everything stopped.

Post Covid

Covid had such an impact on bands and music making. We now had a two year gap in which the children had no opportunity to learn an instrument and the ones that had started had given up as had no tuition or incentive to play. As soon as restrictions allowed the Meltham C of E Primary School brass group started up from scratch and got back up and running. The highlight every year is to get the group to attend the Halle ‘Come and Play’ session in the summer term where the children actually get to play with the Halle Orchestra. Our first trip took place in June 2022, was an incredible experience, made even more special as the children got to play along with Katy who was sat in the orchestra.

The School band is now thriving with over 30 children playing brass instruments. This is now run by Rachel Taylor and Paula Spittlehouse.