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Radio: Touch of Brass

More great brass band and military band music to enjoy from Martin and Julie.

Radio
  More great music from Martin and Julie

The Touch of Brass programme is hosted by Martin Upfold and co-presenter Julie Hedge is on the air each week on Community Radio Station Swindon105.5.com.

Not only can you tune in each week and listen to a new programme, you can also repeat things on 'Catch Up' too.

Martin Upfold

Martin's family banding roots lie with Pelton Fell Band, now the NASUWT Riverside Band with whom his grandfather and great grandfather both played.

He started to play on Eb bass aged 13, and went on to play with Swindon Youth Band, the Swindon Young Musicians Club, Swindon Concert Brass and Aldbourne Band.

He returned to Swindon Band and continued to play with them under the late Francis Cowley. He also had time to fit in playing with the Wessex RAF Voluntary Band and went on to play again with Swindon Pegasus Brass.

He started to work with Community radio station Swindon105.5 in 2008 presenting 'A Touch of Brass' which you can hear between 6pm & 7pm every Sunday evening.

In 2020 he was diagnosed with Parkinsons but has maintained his programme ever since, much to the delight of listeners around the banding world who listen in every week.

Welcome

Martin welcomes listeners every Sunday between 6.00pm & 7.00pm on Swindon105.5 or (FM)105.5, on the App, Now on Digital,

Go to www.swindon1055.com and click on 'Listen Live', or if you missed the show y, click on 'Catch Up'.

You can also leave a message to get a track played at martin.upfold@swindon1055.com or info@swindon1055.com (putting your message c/o A Touch of Brass) or telephone Swindon105.5 between 10am — 3pm, Monday — Friday on 01793 611555 and leave a message.

Sunday 8th February:


From Sunday 15th February, the broadcast time will change to 5.00pm — 6.00pm.
8th February

The Celebrated Marche Lorraine (Ganne)
Band of the Grenadier Guards

Die Fledermaus (Strauss)
Black Dyke Band

Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni)
Black Dyke Band
Soloist: Phillip McCann

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (Goodwin)
Central Band of the Royal Air Force

Sing, Sing, Sing (Prima)
Gala Concert — Kneller Hall

Zambezi (Carstens)
Brighouse & Rastrick

National Emblem (Bagley)
The Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards

Sing in the Rain (Hayton)
Tredegar Band

Adagio from Spartacus (Khachaturian)
Foden's
Common People (Cocker)
Cory

Symphonic Marches of John Williams (Williams)
Band of His Majesty's Royal Marines

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Krohnengen

Results: 2026 Oslo Brassfestival

April 29 • Krohnengen Brass secures the Olso Brassfestival title with section awards to Montebello Brass, Jolster Musikklag and Lismarka Mesnali Brass


Blackburn and Darwen

Results: 2026 Fleetwood Contest

April 29 • Blackburn & Darwen head the prize winners and take a step closer to the British Open at Fleetwood, with section wins for Poulton le Fylde, Clock Face Miners, Darwen Brass and Tewit Youth.


Kingdom Brass

Result: 2026 Fife Brass Brand Festival

April 29 • Kingdom Brass tops the entertainment in Dunfermline to claim the Fife Brass Band Festival title.


Unite

Results: 2026 Holme Valley Contest

April 29 • Unite the Union is in top hymn and test piece form in Holmfirth with section titles going to Hatfield & Askern Colliery and Shepherd Youth Band


Newstead Brass - St George's Day Celebration

Saturday 25 April • St Wilfrid's Church. Church Street, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 8LA


Newstead Brass - St George's Day Celebration

Saturday 25 April • St Wilfrid's Church. Church Street, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 8LA


Regent Hall Concerts - Central Band of the Royal Air Force

Friday 1 May • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Sunday 3 May • St Alfege Church. Greenwich Church Street SE10 9BJ


Regent Hall Concerts - FiveBy5 Trumpet Quintet

Tuesday 5 May • Charlton House and Gardens. Charlton Road, . London. . SE7 8RE


Tintwistle Band

April 28 • Tintwistle Band are looking for a Soprano and front row cornet players to help complete our team.. We rehearse Monday and Thursday 8-10pm at our own bandroom on Old Road in Tintwistle, and perform a variety of concerts all year round.


CLEETHORPES BAND CIO

April 23 • Cleethorpes Band are seeking a Musical Director. The band rehearse on Thursday and Sunday evenings. Placed 3rd in the North of England 4th section contest. We are a registered charity and have a thriving training band.


Leicestershire Co-op Band

April 23 • SOLO HORN Vacancy. The Leicestershire Co-op Band (2nd Section National Finalists & 1st Section from 2027) have a vacancy for Solo Horn. We are an ambitious band with a healthy balance of contests and concerts, always striving for high musical standards.


Martin Heartfield

GGSM, ARCM, PGCE
Conductor, Adjudicator, Educationalist


               

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