The Colchester Band was formed at a public meeting on the 24th of August 1860,where a "Public Subscription Appeal" was launched to raise two hundred pounds for instruments and uniforms for a group of 17 musicians. This band was called the ‘Colchester Town and Volunteer Rifle Band’.
Further reports found in the local newspapers at the time (Essex Standard and Eastern Counties Advertiser), listed the contributors to the appeal. The band gave their first performance towards the end of 1860. Around this time the name was changed to the ‘Colchester Town Band’.
We can be fairly sure that the band thrived throughout the period between its foundation and the Second World War. As with most bands at this time, it packed away its instruments for the duration and contributed to the war effort.
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The band reformed in 1946 as the ‘Colchester Silver Band’ under the musical direction of Bertie Richardson.
Bertie was the Musical Director up until his retirement in 1971. Under his direction the band won several prizes in both local and national competitions.
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Arthur Austin became conductor 70`s and 80`s. The baton was then passed to Stephen Kenna. Under Stephen’s direction the band continued to improve in standard and eventually gained Championship Section status in 1988-89.
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The band were briefly under the direction of Stephen Pegram, and were pleased to appoint Peter Ivey as Musical Director in 1992.
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In January 1993 the rehearsal room was destroyed by fire, damaging most instruments and music. Spurred on by this disaster, a trip to Zwolle in Holland was organised, plus the acquiring of a new practice room. The appointment of Robert Howard as Musical Director complemented this recovery.
The phoenix did arise from the ashes.
Under the chairmanship of Eric Tooley and the musical direction of Robert Howard the band were able to maintain their musical standards and increase their profile within the local community, culminating with the sponsorship of the band in 1994 by a furniture company `Hatfields of Colchester`.
Despite slipping back into the Second Section the band went on to qualify for the Finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain in 1995 and 1996, gaining promotion to the Championship Section in 1997 after a first place by 4 clear points in the first section qualifiers with a piece called "Spectrum".
In early 1997 the band were successful in gaining a National Lottery grant and are close to completing their lottery project. Soon to be resplendent in new uniforms, complete with new instruments.
Robert Howard retired in 2001 and the reins were taken for a while by David Notley. Trevor Davey took up the baton in October 2001 and despite a successful time eventually had to give up and pass the baton to Bernard Reader who lead the band until January 2004.
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In 2004 musical director Marc Easener ,who trained at London College of Music was appointed. Under this direction the band scored a 3rd place in the SCABA open contest at Folkestone, and performed many successful concerts.
In keeping with the troubles of the Brass Band movement, the relationship with the Hatfields company ended in 2005, and the band reverted to "Colchester Band" with more of an emphasis on the training of young brass musicians.
In 2005, proud of its local connections, the band renamed itself as The Colchester Band. The band was pleased to appoint Peter Ivey as Musical Director in 2006 and since then has gone from strength to strength with success at the East Anglian Brass Band Association contest held in Norwich in 2008 & 2009 and in the London and Southern Counties Regional Qualifying Contest held in Stevenage in 2009. The Colchester Band can often be seen playing at local fetes and regattas in and around Colchester during the summer months as well as performing in more formal concerts. The Colchester Band will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2010 and will be performing a series of concerts throughout the year in the local area. The band is recording a new CD later this year which will be launched in 2010 and they are also planning a tour to Holland in April next year – all of these activities will be in celebration of the band’s anniversary.
