scaba

Formed in 1893 as the “Southern Counties Amateur Bands Association”, scaba is the local association for brass bands in the South East of England. Any brass bands in the counties of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, London Boroughs, Middlesex, Surrey, Sussex and The Channel Islands are eligible for membership.scaba works hard to put the interests of its member bands and brass players first, and there’s a lot more to us than just contesting! The association is a member of Brass Bands England (BBE) and Making Music UK, and has representatives on the committee of the London & Southern Counties region of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.

scaba is run by a team of volunteers and we can’t keep going or offer more services to our local bands without some support! Membership of the association helps to support all of our activities including the Southern Counties Youth Band and development of new, non-competitive events.

In return for an annual Membership fee of just £35 members of scaba enjoy the following benefits:

♪ Free advertising on the scaba website and social media

♪ Discounted subs for SCYB

♪ Free information, advice and resources

♪ Priority entry and discounted tickets for workshops and other events

♪ Priority entry and discounted fees for scaba contests

♪ Voting rights at quarterly forums – and the chance to get involved in how your local association is run

♪ Representation at the London & Southern Counties Regional Committee

Click HERE to download your 2023-24 Membership information and application form.

SCYB

THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES YOUTH BAND

The Southern Counties Youth Band or “SCYB” was set up by scaba to give young brass and percussion players an opportunity to improve their playing ability, expand their banding experience and to have fun making music in a band of players their own age. ALL young players in the area are welcome to join, your own band doesn’t have to be a member of scaba (but your subs will be discounted if they are!)

Following a forced break during the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re excited to be be resuming regular monthly rehearsals at Worth School, near Crawley in West Sussex, from 25th September 2022.

Please see the SCYB section of this website for more information and the 2022-23 membership application pack.

SCYB Survey

Please see the SCYB section of this website for more news, photos and information about SCYB.

Latest News

Cranbrook Town Band in concert with Tom Hutchinson
3rd October 2023
Join Cranbrook band on 14th October to support a fantastic cause, the Demelza Charity, and enjoy a fabulous soloist!Read More »
Stars of Brass with Gary Curtin
3rd October 2023
Join the Oxted Band for an evening of virtuoso performances and brass band favourites with special guest Gary Curtin, renowned …Read More »
A Symphony of Thanksgiving
11th August 2023
Read More »
Epping Forest band – vacancies
27th July 2023
Required: Epping Forest Band are seeking new players across the band: Front and Back Row Cornets, and Percussion (Kit) to …Read More »
scaba Autumn / Entertainments Contest 2023
25th June 2023
Update 13/09/23 – Autumn Contest CANCELLED. Unfortunately there are not enough entries for this event to be viable. We thank …Read More »
Annual General Meeting, 30th April 2023
16th April 2023
scaba’s Annual General Meeting will be held via Zoom at 7pm on Sunday 30th April. The agenda has been circulated …Read More »
2023 Spring Contest
12th January 2023
We’re delighted to be returning to the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of Sussex for our …Read More »
Vacancies at Staines Brass
4th January 2023
Staines brass are a first section band based in Staines upon Thames. We rehearse Thursday evening from 8 to 10pm. …Read More »
Passing of Peter Cowlett
3rd November 2022
It is with great sadness that we share the news from Lewes, Glynde & Beddingham Band of the passing of …Read More »
scaba AGM – 10th April 2022
9th April 2022
The Association’s Annual General Meeting will be taking place via Zoom at 7pm on Sunday 10th April. Anyone with an interest …Read More »
scaba Spring Contest Results
6th March 2022
scaba made a welcome return to live, local, music-making today with our first event since the 2020 Spring contest. 10 …Read More »
Banding bounces back with Godalming Band this autumn!
12th October 2021
Join the Godalming band for a great evening as we rediscover the joys of live music with a programme for …Read More »
Vacancies at Godalming
12th October 2021
Godalming Band are a keen and friendly third section band with a few vacancies that we’d love to fill on …Read More »
In Concert with Chris Thomas
27th September 2021
Cranbrook Town Band with guest Virtuoso Trombonist Chris Thomas will be raising funds for Demelza House at St.Dunstans Church, Saturday …Read More »
scaba’s Return to Contesting on Hold
14th September 2021
scaba regret to announce that we will NOT be going ahead with a contest this Autumn as hoped. The Association …Read More »
Colin Morrison funeral details
17th August 2021
Service order for Colin Rhodes Morrison Service Date: 18th Aug 21 at 12:00 Service Chapel: South Essex Crematorium, Ockendon Rd, …Read More »
Colin Morrison
15th August 2021
It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend Colin Morrison died peacefully in his …Read More »
Treasurers! Your local association needs you…
9th August 2021
Read More »
Help us to help you!
17th July 2021
Now bands are slowly starting to return to indoor rehearsals, thoughts are turning to performances and contests. scaba traditionally holds …Read More »
Celebrate our return to banding with scaba this Autumn!
21st June 2021
Now that things are slowly starting to get back to “normal” (whatever that is!), the scaba team are delighted to …Read More »

Latest from the Bandroom

03 Oct

Cranbrook Town Band in concert with Tom Hutchinson

scaba0 Comment

Join Cranbrook band on 14th October to support a fantastic cause, the Demelza Charity, and enjoy a fabulous soloist!

03 Oct

Stars of Brass with Gary Curtin

scaba0 Comment

Join the Oxted Band for an evening of virtuoso performances and brass band favourites with special guest Gary Curtin, renowned soloist and principal euphonium with Foden’s Band. 📍St John’s Church in Hurst Green ⏰ 14th October – 7pm 🎟...

11 Aug

A Symphony of Thanksgiving

scaba0 Comment

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What’s On (Next 30 Days)

Andrew Wilson

Chairperson

Andrew has been playing in local brass bands since the age of 11, including Epsom and Ewell, Staines and Yiewsley and West Drayton. He was a founder member of the Kingston Youth Concert Band in the 1980s, and was a member of staff there for many years.

Andrew has been MD of Cranleigh Youth Band and also Encore Youth Orchestra, and the Epsom and Ewell B band which had both youth and adult players. He joined Mole Valley Silver Band on bass in 1999, and became their MD in 2003.

e-mail : chairman@scaba.co.uk

Alex Sears

Secretary

Alex started playing with Brighton Silver band at the age of 7 and has played with a number of bands in this area including Alder Valley, Uckfield, Horsham and Chichester. She has been a member of Friary Guildford Band since 2003 and has served as their Contest Secretary for most of that time.

Alex’s banding highlights include being the only baritone player to date to win ‘Best Instrumentalist’ in a scaba competition, winning the 1st Section National Championships with Friary in 2010, playing in the Championship section finals at the Royal Albert Hall and taking part in Brass in Concert.

Alex was invited to join the scaba team in 2011 and appointed Secretary in 2015. She is also administrator and tutor for the Southern Counties Youth Band (#SCYB) and loves working with the next generation of brass banders.

e-mail : fgb@alexvicary.co.uk

Tom Martin

Treasurer

Tom started playing trombone at the age of 11 and had joined Godalming Band by age 14 progressing up through the trombone ranks. Tom is helping with the next generation of banders as his daughter now plays cornet with Godalming Band and Godalming Youth Band and young son is showing an interest as well!

Over the years Tom has played with many music groups including musical wind bands, orchestras and jazz bands as well as playing in many amateur musical productions with a number of different groups.

Outside of music Tom works for a European IT firm and served as treasurer of the local Round Table for many years.

tom.martin@tsplace.co.uk

James Haigh

SAFEGUARDING LEAD AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER

James is the MD of Godalming band.

e-mail: jamesaphaigh@outlook.com

Paul Homewood

Executive Committee Member

Sybil Morrison

Executive Committee Member

Claire Pickard

Executive Committee Member

Andrew Wooler

Executive Committee Member

Ian Carter

President

Ian has been on the scaba Committee for 18 years and served as Contest Manager and Secretary in that time. He was appointed President of the Association in April 2018 in honour of his commitment and dedication to scaba and brass banding in the South East.

Sharon McCallum

Vice President

A skilled instrument repairer and cornettist, Sharon has played with a number of bands in the area and has supported scaba events with her trade stand for many years. Sharon was invited to become a Vice President of the association in 2019.

Norman Every

Vice President

Married with 3 children and 7 grandchildren, Norman comes from a banding family and believes he has a brass gene in his make-up!

His grandfather Frank founded the former Nelson Silver Band in the Rhondda Valley and then, following a move to Berkshire in the 1920s, formed the St Sebastian Wokingham Band. Norman followed in his footsteps with his involvement in the Cornwall Youth Band and by forming both the Cranleigh Youth Band and the National Methodist Youth Brass Band.

Norman played tenor horn with the Godalming Band in Surrey before moving back to Cornwall recently. Norman served as President of the Association for a self-imposed 5 year term, during which time he founded the Southern Counties Youth Band (SCYB) in 2014.

e-mail : normanev@hotmail.co.uk

Ivy Gray

Vice President.

Ivy met Ron at the age of 17 when the conductor of The Westborough Ladies Choir invited her to sing with the Godalming Band who he also conducted. Some years later their daughter wanted to play a cornet like her father, Ivy went along to help teach the youngsters to read music, and the rest is history.

Ivy played trombone with Godalming for 35 years before retiring from playing in 2013. She was invited to join scaba as a committee member when she started attending meetings as the Godalming Band representative and has served the Association for over 20 years, most recently as our Membership Secretary. In 2018 Ivy was appointed Vice President in thanks and recognition for her many years of dedicated service.