Complete timeline of events over the first 40 years

The 1980s

1980 – 1981 The first Corsham School Windband is formed by Sonia Blandford using brass instruments found locked in a cupboard and a few woodwind players who could string together a tune.
1980s – 2000s Regular performances at the annual Christmas Concert at the Royal British Legion, Corsham.
1981 Spring term – first performance of the Corsham School Windband at Assembly in the Lower School Hall.
October 1981 The Windband’s first tour to Darfield Foulstone in Yorkshire.
December 1981 Corsham School Windband plays carols in Corsham High Street
1982 Corsham School windband plays in Corsham High Street.
1981 – 1991 Box Pantomine Group directed by Sonia with CWA providing music
Late 1980s – 1994 Box Highlands School provides premises for practices and storage of instruments and equipment.
1980s Saturday morning practices and lessons take place in the Mansion House, Corsham.
1980s – 2018 Regular performances at the band stand in Bath Parade Gardens.
1982 Performance at the Twinning Ceremony with the Corsham Fire Brigade.
April 1982 First trip to Corsham’s twin town of Jargeau to celebrate the Twinning.
1983 – 2019 Regular busking in the streets of Bath.
February 1983 Trip to Corsham’s twin town of Jargeau.
1984 The Schwäbisch Gmünder Jugendkapelle e.V hosts the Corsham School Windband.
1984 The School Windband performs at Corsham Fire Station’s Annual Fête.
August 1984 The School Windband takes part in and marches at Melksham Carnival.
1985 The Windband wins the Devizes Music Festival.
1985 - The CWA starts practicing in the west wing of Corsham Court.
1985 Youth Concert Band is formed shortly after the Windband Association became independent of the Corsham School.
March 1985 Training band trip to Jargeau.
1985 The Schwäbisch Gmünder Jugendkapelle e.V hosts Youth Concert Band.
1986 First trip to Mandal in Norway including a performance at the King of Norway’s Summer House.
1986 Performance at Covent Garden, London, as part of the National Festival of Music for Youth.
1986 Performance at the Royal festival Hall during the National Festival of Music for Youth.
1987 CWA hosts the Mandal Guttekorps band.
1987 Performance by 100 musicians of the Association on HTV’s Good Neighbours Show Christmas Special.
1988 Brentford School hosts the Windband as part of the national “Arts in Schools” project.

 

The 1990s

1990   The windband performs the National Anthem for the Queen at the re-opening of the Kennet and Avon Canal.
1990   The Schwäbisch Gmünder Jugendkapelle hosts Youth Concert Band.
1992   Performance at the Welsh National Garden Festival in Ebbw Vale.
1993   Concert at Beamish Museum on outward to trip to Norway (Mandal)
1993   Trip to Mandal in Norway.
1994   Corsham Windband Association forms Pounds Arts Centre in the former Corsham County Primary School building.
1994   Trip to Cologne
1996   Performance at the Royal festival Hall at the National Festival of Music for Youth.
1996   CWA takes part in the world’s largest orchestra event held at Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Stadium.
1996   Trip the International Windband Festival in Strasbourg, France.
1997 – 2001   Oxford Brookes University hosts the windband to perform at the Annual International Masters Summer School.
1997   Performance of Fanfare and Soliloquy at the Royal Northern College of Music.
1998   Performance at Glasgow Garden Festival
1998   Youth Concert Band performs at the Royal Northern College of Music gaining a silver medal.
1998   CWA takes part in the world’s largest orchestra event held at Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Stadium with the participation of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

The 2000s

2000   Trip the International Windband Festival in Strasbourg, France.
2001   The CWA hosts Aurora High School, a group from Ontario.
2001   20th anniversary : preparation of a CD – 200 members

Celebratory ball at Grittleton House

2004   Practice weekend for Training Band at Braeside, Devizes
2007   Spectrum Band performs at the Royal Northern College of Music gaining a silver medal.
2008   Spectrum band visit to Barcelona
2008   Youth Concert Band performs at the Royal Northern College of Music.

The 2010s

2010   Practice weekend for Training Band at Braeside, Devizes
2010   Youth Concert Band and Spectrum Band perform at the Royal Northern College of Music gaining silver medals.
2011   30th anniversary celebrations in Corsham.

Several past players performed solos at the Pounds Arts Centre (Fanfare for Success concert)

2011   Corsham Windband Association plays in Corsham High Street
2014   Trip to Strasbourg – Performance at the Council of Europe
2016   Youth Concert Band takes part in the Mid-Somerset Festival performing an original piece called “Telomere” composed by Nicholas Peters, the Composer in Residence at the Pound Arts Centre.
2019   CWA performs at Corsham Fun Run

The 2020s

2020 CWA performs at the Mid Somerset Festival playing Ed Horton’s “All Together Now”
2021 YCB performs as “house band” for BBC Radio Wiltshire on Christmas Day
2023 February - 5-day visit by the CWA to Strasbourg, France.
2024 February – planned visit by the CWA to Jargeau, France.