Celebrating 30th with a top brass birthday bash
Newland Concert Brass is marking its 30th anniversary this year.
And the band is celebrating with a concert on Friday, October 6, at Bathgate Academy.
The band was formed in 1987, with an emphasis on concerts as the name suggests.
The name Newland was taken from the venue where the first rehearsal took place -The Old Academy in Bathgate whose benefactor was John Newland.
The blue uniform of Newland is well recognised in West Lothian as a result of playing at gala days, concerts, Bathgate Music Festival and the Bathgate Procession and John Newland Festival.
Newland has contested in the second, third and fourth sections of the Scottish Championships and qualified for the British Championships on three occasions.
The band has organised charity concerts over the years raising funds for various charities including Cancer Research UK, The British Heart Foundation, BeatSCAD, River Kids, Spinal Injuries Unit Southern General and CHAS.
In 1988, the band made its first trip abroad – a concert tour of Hochsaurland in Germany.
This visit developed links with both the area and a German band, NeheimHusten Fanfarenkorps.
The following year a partnership was agreed and since then both bands have taken part in several exchange visits. Newland last visited Neheim in July 2016.
Newland Concert Brass also has a thriving junior band with young people aged from eight years and above.
This group gives young people the opportunity to play as part of a band, to develop their musical ability and increase their confidence.
The senior and junior bands play a good mix of music ranging from traditional brass band styles to modern film and pop music.
For fuller information, look at the Newland Facebook page.