Vote for Bratton Brass Roots in Classic FM Awards

Bratton Brass Roots Secures Nomination in Classic FM Awards

Wiltshire-based Bratton Silver Band’s fantastic initiative, Bratton Brass Roots, has been shortlisted for the Classic FM ‘Best Music Learning Initiative’ award. This nomination is a testament to their incredible work in promoting brass music education and making music accessible to all. Their support has helped many young people get into music, and now they need your support to win their category at the Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards. Should they succeed, they will secure £3,000 worth of instruments, which will support their amazing work and enable more young people to access brass band music.

Now that’s a cause worth supporting!

Local Passion Supporting Tradition

The Bratton Brass Roots project was founded by Wiltshire local and passionate musical director Lydia Grace-Hills in 2023. Her commitment to furthering brass education and keeping the tradition of brass banding alive fueled this project, supported by the unwavering dedication of a team of volunteers.

Bratton boasts one of the oldest brass bands in the world, Bratton Silver Band, which was formed in 1859. However, Lydia and fellow band members became increasingly aware of the lack of young players, as well as bands in the local area struggling for numbers, with some even having to close their bandroom doors due to dwindling membership. So, Lydia and the team set out to change that.

“Due to cuts to arts funding, we soon realized that if we wanted brass education to be accessible in the local area, we were going to have to do it ourselves - and thus began the Brass Roots journey,”

Lydia Grace-Hills, Bratton Brass Roots

From Strength to Strength

The project’s vision—to make brass band music and brass music education easy and accessible to anyone in the local area—has benefited many young people across Bratton and the wider Wiltshire area.

Since 2023, Bratton Brass Roots has staged two sets of free brass band concerts at eight local primary schools as part of Brass Bands England’s ‘Proms in the Playground’ scheme. These concerts allowed over 2,000 children to hear a brass band play a range of music—many for the first time. In addition to these performances, the initiative has held a variety of events, including open days, summer schools, workshops, and numerous free concerts in their local community, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to hear and experience live brass band music without financial restraints.

Last October, with the help of local grants to fund the necessary instruments, they launched their beginners' group, Bratton Brass Roots. The children who formed this band have progressed together into a 'Junior Brass Band,' which is a fantastic achievement for both the young musicians and the dedicated tutors who have made this possible.

It isn’t just the younger generation benefiting from the Bratton Brass Roots initiative! They have recently launched an Adult Beginners group, and some of these beginners have already progressed within the organization. There are around 30 members learning, and a new batch of 12 beginners will be joining in September.

Speaking on the success of the project, Lydia Grace-Hills - the band's musical director said:

“For me, the best thing about it all is seeing children find their 'thing.' In today's education system, reading, writing, and maths are often considered the pinnacle of achievement. For some children who struggle with those subjects, education can be hard. We have a fair population of children with special educational needs in our Roots programme, and once they find their instrument, find the love, and thrive at something, it is incredible to see them blossom—not only as musicians but as individuals"

Vote Now!

The work that this incredible group has put into this initiative is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Their tenacity, motivation, passion, and dedication deserve to be recognized. It is remarkable not only to achieve a nomination for their work but also for a brass band organization to be recognized at a prestigious classical awards ceremony—something of which they should be immensely proud!

But I’m sure you’ll agree that a nomination isn’t all that Lydia and her team deserve. For promoting youth music, safeguarding the future of banding in their local community, and introducing brass banding to new audiences—they more than deserve the title.

“We are SO excited about the Classic FM nomination and really hope the brass banding community will get behind us and vote—£3,000 worth of instruments would REALLY make such a difference,” says Lydia.

They’ve done the hard work; now all that’s left for us to do is vote for them in the Classic FM Awards, and it couldn’t be simpler.

Click the link here, scroll down, and choose Bratton Brass Roots.

We’re all behind you, Bratton Brass Roots! 🎺