Pershore Midsummer Brass has reiterated its commitment to bring brass band music to the notice of its local community by spotlighting the abundance of talent to be found in Hereford and Worcestershire.

Travelling talent

Bands also travel ‘over the border’ from Warwickshire, Shropshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wales so that the people of Pershore and its surroundings have the chance to benefit from hearing a wealth of musical talent.

Tickets

Spokesperson Val Trim told 4BR: "All day ticket prices are kept as reasonable as possible and six hours of free, open access concerts are planned in Chapman Court, the Festival’s outdoor venue.

Not only does this satisfy the maintenance of charitable status but gives bands a wonderful opportunity to generate an enthusiastic audience – many unfamiliar with brass band music."

Although the four venues where bands perform throughout the day are close together, nevertheless busy bandsmen and women can be observed sprinting from one venue to anotherVal Trimm

Weather or not

However, the weather is always a concern, so the organisers are determined to provide wet weather cover at Chapman Court.

Val explained that lots of popular bands will appear this year, with Malvern Hills and Tewkesbury joined by Arrow Valley, Avonbank and Shipston.

She added: "Newcomers Cleobury Mortimer are enjoying a wonderful year and are set to appear at the National Finals in September at Cheltenham, whilst Rushden Windmill returns once more as do Malvern Chase, Worcester Concert Brass and Winchcombe and Hook Norton."

Large and unusual

Pershore Midsummer Brass can make the claim to be one of the largest and most unusual, as Val went on to explain.

"Although the four venues where bands perform throughout the day are close together, nevertheless busy bandsmen and women can be observed sprinting from one venue to another!

We are not clear what the record is for most number of appearances with assorted bands by any single player but there are rumours that one player notched up 10 performances in a day!"

Fitness programme

Val laughed: "If that player is still around and in demand he’ll be in need of a proper fitness programme to prepare himself for the potential of being asked to play 54 times at Pershore 2012 — twice by each of the 27 bands taking part!"