Iain's appointment marks new chapter for Black Country Brass Band

A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Iain first led a rehearsal with them in May 2010. After guiding them through last year's summer engagements, including a successful performance at the Ironbridge Festival, his passion, determination, and alignment with our vision have naturally accumulated to his this formal appointment.

This comes at a critical time for brass bands in the region as Tom Luxton, band Secretary, explains: “With local councils no longer able to fund performances at venues like Mary Stevens Park, West Park, and Himley Hall, many bands are struggling to find paid opportunities. Some bands choose to play for free, but this risks undervaluing the art form. We’ve had to look further afield to places like Droitwich Lido, where support is still available, and unfortunately, we’ve already had to raise member subscriptions to help cover running costs - though we’d really love to be playing more often on our local bandstands and bringing our community together. Brass bands are an integral part of British heritage, but we are at risk of losing our sense of identity as these challenges persist.”

Wolverhampton City Brass Band, which made headlines in 2017 for its performance at the Wolverhampton Grand’s Brassed Off, played its final tune after more than 50 years, and the folding of Coseley Comets last year, highlight the precarious future of brass bands in our region. Christabel, a music teacher at the band, points to the decline of brass music in schools, with rising lesson costs and limited exposure to brass music. This, along with inconsistent music education in primary schools, is leading to a diminishing interest in the art form among young people.

In response to these challenges, Iain Masson, with over a decade of experience as a musician and educator, is committed to reinvigorating interest in brass music and engaging with the community to attract new talent and renew interest in this cherished tradition. 

The band rehearse on Thursday from 8pm to 9.30pm at the Royal British Legion, Ruiton St, Lower Gornal, Players of all levels are invited to come and have a play. Contact details and details of upcoming gigs, can be found on their website: bcb.band