About Us

ABOUT THE BAND

The Ringwood Band were founded in 1879 and have been in existence ever since. The Burley Band started at a later date and continued until 1970 when the two bands amalgamated to form the present organisation (Ringwood & Burley Band). The band is well known in the New Forest/Wessex area and is a member of the Wessex Brass band Association.

Although it does take part in contests, the Ringwood & Burley Band is primarily a concert band playing an average of 30 engagements per year. The band has played before our present Queen, The Queen Mother and Princess Anne. It has undertaken several overseas tours visiting Ringwood’s twin town in Normandy Pont Audemer, Mosbach in Germany where they gave a concert at the local Agricultural Show and also taking part in the Anniversary of the Liberation of Jersey celebrations was a highlight.

In 1999 the band enjoyed a mini tour of Lancashire and Yorkshire and were privileged to take part in the famous Northern 'Whit Friday Marches" as seen on the film "Brassed Off". They will be taking part in the Marches again at the first opportunity.

As well as playing the liners off at the quay-side Cunard have invited the band on three occasions in recent years to give concerts on board the QE2. The band also played for 350 guests on the occasion of the liners 30th anniversary celebrations. One of the highlights of the year is the annual autumn concert for the RAF Association in the Barrington Theatre (Ferndown, Dorset) which the band has been performing since 1998. This is a multimedia concert, always a complete sell out, and usually finishes with a 'Last Night at the Proms' finale.

Our Musical Director

Our Musical Director Bernard Lawson LRAM. AmusLCM is a former pupil of Major Peter Parkes and Philip McCann. Bernard is a well qualified and experienced brass conductor, he was for many years a peripatetic brass teacher in Yorkshire.

Following study at Leeds College of Music, Trinity College London and Huddersfield School of Music he has the distinction of being the first ever student to be awarded an LRAM in brass band conducting, he also holds the AMusLCM diploma.

Much of his earlier conducting experience was within the Salvation Army, having led songsters and bands in Leeds, Bradford, Bolton and London, He conducted Castleford band and united songsters for the Yorkshire series “Your Hundred Best Hymns.” Other conducting engagements have included working with Rolf Harris, recording background music for a Peter Sellers film and for the BBC play “Mary Barton.”

In recent years he has concentrated more on conducting non-SA bands and has had several successes with contesting bands in the Yorkshire area. Prior to moving to Bournemouth he was the musical director of Clifton and Lightcliffe band.

This is Bernard’s second spell as our Musical Director, he had a successful period with the band from 1997 until 2003

Picture by Mark Tamblin Photography