MUSICIANS of all ages and abilities took to the stage as part of the 55th Wessex Band Summer School.

The tuneful gathering, which ran between July 27 and August 1, is the longest running musical course of its kind and enjoyed its emerald anniversary with a day of concerts at The Exchange, in Sturminster Newton, as the finale.

During the Saturday performances, audiences were treated to a variety of music, from soulful melodies to dramatic film scores and everything in between, culminating in a massed bands performance of Philip Sparke’s Music for a Festival.

Wessex Band Summer School is a week-long course for brass, which sees wind and percussion players given experience and tuition under the expert direction of musical director Michael Fowles – from The Foden’s Brass Band – and world-renowned staff.

Students are given the chance to test themselves playing a wide range of music, while “having fun and making new friends”.

After the day-long finale, Michael said: “It’s been a brilliant course. I’m staggered with how fast the bands improved, which is great because then we get to raise the bar higher and higher to lift the expectations, but always through an atmosphere of fun and encouragement.

“It really is a full week of friendship, with bonds forged where people don’t see each other all year then meet up for the course and it’s as if it were yesterday.

“Of course, it’s incredibly positive that the numbers have risen once again to the level they have, and the speed of which the applications came in.

“Before the closing date we had to declare that we were operating on waiting lists in two out of the three bands, which is stunning really.”

He said the benefits of the gathering for musicians were wide ranging.

“When you’ve got this many musicians together all with the same thought processes and desire to improve it’s tremendously exciting and invigorating,” he added.

“It’s created a week that’s really enjoyable for everybody and I think, by the end, everyone feels a better player than they were at the start, and that’s all we’re seeking to achieve.”

The non-residential course is held at Sturminster Newton High School, with students able to camp on-site, while some choose to stay in other accommodation nearby.

Wessex Band Summer School is made up of three bands, a training band for players up to grade 4 standard, a wind band and a brass band, both for players of grade 4 upwards.

Each year, the course welcomes players from all over the country.

WBSS chair, Matt Stimpson, hailed a “fantastic week” and added: “Our delegates have excelled, such a friendly and hard-working set of people, who have soaked everything up like sponges.

“Our tutorial staff are simply fantastic, they put the delegates at the centre of everything we do, with one delegate describing the course as one big hug where you can feel confident to be your best.

“As for the concerts, wow is the word, what a brilliant day to end the most stunning week.”

The 56th course will return to Sturminster Newton from July 26 to 31, 2027, with an early bird offer available on bookings made before December 31, 2026.

For more details on the 2027 Wessex Band Summer School, and to book a place, visit www.wessexband.com.

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