J25: Banding Together

Banding Together summer weekends provide advanced and fluent English system concertina players with the opportunity to join with others of similar proficiency to play as a big concertina band. The music is varied and challenging but help with preparation is provided. The result is an electrifying big band sound!

Banding Together is very excited to announce that its 2024 weekend will be led by guest conductor Calum Gray.

The option to extend your stay with a B&B booking on Sunday evening will be available for this event.

Who is it for?

The weekend is for advanced and fluent English system concertina players to play as a big concertina band under expert direction. The music is varied and challenging but help with preparation is provided. The result is an electrifying big band sound!

The Team

This weekend’s conductor will be Calum Gray.

Calum enlisted into the Army as a Junior Musician in 1974. During three years of instruction he developed his cornet playing ability and learned to play the ‘cello. After serving with the Band of The Corps of Royal Signals and the Band of The Grenadier Guards he attended the three-year Student Bandmaster Course and was appointed Bandmaster of the 1st Battalion The Royal Hampshire Regiment in 1987.

On being awarded his commission in June 1994, he was appointed Music Director of The Band of The Dragoon Guards, located in Paderborn, Germany. In September 1997 he returned to the country of his birth when appointed Music Director of The Lowland Band of The Scottish Division. His last posting was to Winchester in 2000 when he was appointed Music Director of The Band of The Light Division. In February of this year he steered the Band through a period of transition with the demise of The Light Division and the formation of The Rifles.

Calum left the Army in September 2007 following a career spanning over 33 years and shortly afterwards became Music Director of Southampton Concert Wind Band.