Rayleigh Brass
An innovative brass band based in Essex, UK
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Rayleigh Brass Annual Awards 2025
Awarded at the band social event, 18th December 2025.
Bandperson of the Year
Bandperson of the Year
Jan Clements
The Peter Hammerton Bandsman of the Year Shield is presented to someone, who over the previous 12 months, has gone above and beyond, in their role within Rayleigh Brass.
Jan personifies this, whether assisting our MD Bob, booking dep players, lugging timpani around or offering members support in innumerable ways. She truly is deserving of the award for 2025.
Musical Directors Award
Musical Directors Award
Isabelle Wilson
The Musical Directors award is new for 2025 and our MD, Bob Bearman awarded this to Isabelle with the following words:
"My (MD) Award goes to a relative newcomer, who has embraced the spirit of the band and has quickly become part of the Rayleigh Brass family.
She has also shown a marked improvement in her playing ability and confidence, including stepping up to play solos, and occasionally filling the principal seat.
So I have great pleasure in presenting this award to Isabelle Wilson."
13th December 2025
Rayleigh Brass presented
'Christmas!!!'
at the Mill Hall, Rayleigh.
Set List
A Spirit of Christmas / A Winter's Tale / The Lord Bless You and Keep You / The Gremlins / Love Actually / Merry Christmas Darling (solo, Jan Clements) / Angels / Feliz Navidad / Christmas Piece
interval
Gaudete / Candlelight Carol / Deck the Hall (singalong) / In The Bleak Midwinter / Good King Wenceslas (singalong) / The Everlasting Light (O Little Town) / Angels form the Realms of Glory (singalong) / Sleigh Ride / Schneewalzer / Happy Christmas (War is Over) / I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day
encore(s)
Merry Christmas Everybody / Jingle Bells
Testimonials
"A great big thanks from our party of four for two hours of great musical entertainment and fun"
"Once again a really fantastic concert with a great mix of music to suit everyone, it certainly proved very popular as I am sure every seat was taken. I thought Jingle Bells had been dropped but NO!! There it was right at the end!"
Please see our engagements page for details of future concerts.
Find out more about our musical director, Bob Bearman, by viewing his profile page
The band has been established in South Essex for over one hundred years and at the moment has almost full membership. We play a varied programme to a high standard and have a reputation for a progressive and changing repertoire of music. We play mainly concerts but also perform at fetes and other functions.
The band is able to deliver high quality and entertaining concert programmes at the same time as maintaining a very friendly and inclusive atmosphere. We do not enter contests like many bands, but seek instead to broaden the appeal of the band beyond the traditional brass band image, playing a wide and challenging repertoire, at the same time trying to relate to our audience.
Rayleigh Brass acknowledges its role in the community, and has raised funds in the past for BBC Children in Need and local charities, and is always willing to consider appearing at charity fund-raising events. In the weeks preceding Christmas the band fields several groups each day at locations throughout southern Essex, playing carols for shoppers and at social functions in order to raise funds to donate to local charities.
Further from home, the band has played on several occasions in Ypres, Belgium, culminating in a moving experience for the band and audience when they performed at the remembrance service at the famous Menin Gate - the monument to the many thousands who lost their lives in the First World War at Flanders Fields.
We rehearse on a Thursday evening at Battlesbridge Free Church. Please contact Kevin Hall on 07808 231884 or info@rayleighbrass.com if you are interested in joining the band or would like further information.
Rayleigh Brass playing under the Vulcan bomber at Southend airport.
We are proud to support remembrance day and play every year at the Burnham-on-Crouch Annual Service of Remembrance.
The band at its first post-lockdown performance at Priory Park in Southend.
Watch our lockdown recordings on YouTube
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