Welcome to the City of Birmingham Brass Band Timeline
Our band has a rich and colourful history spanning decades of music-making, community performances, concerts, contests, and transformation. This timeline captures the key milestones that have shaped our journey—from our origins as an industrial works band to becoming one of Birmingham’s leading brass ensembles. Explore the moments, memories, and milestones that tell the story of who we are today.
The band was originally formed as the Fisher and Ludlow Works Band, created by workers from the Fisher and Ludlow automotive manufacturing plant in Birmingham. The band became an important part of the factory community, performing at local events and competitions.
In 1967, the Fisher & Ludlow Works Band performed an international concert at the Grote Kerk in Veere, Netherlands, marking one of the band’s notable early overseas appearances.
The original poster for the event proudly describes the group as “one of England’s best-known brass bands,” highlighting their impressive history of 200 BBC concert broadcasts.
This performance reflects the band's strong reputation even before its later name changes, showcasing its musical quality and its role as an ambassador for Birmingham abroad.
This original “Quickfit Brass Band – Inventory Book” records the everyday life of the early band between 1955 and 1970. Carefully handwritten by band officials, it lists players’ names, addresses, instruments, uniform issue and signatures for each season. Page by page, it shows who was in the band, what they played, and how the Fisher & Ludlow / Quickfit works band was organised long before it became the City of Birmingham Brass Band. Today, this book is a unique snapshot of the people behind the music and a precious link to our earliest members.
Fisher & Ludlow - Inventory Book
Following changes within the company, the band adopted the new title Fishers Pressed Steel Band. Under this name, it continued to grow in size and reputation, performing across Birmingham and the wider Midlands.
In 1976, the band proudly stepped away from its industrial roots and officially became the City of Birmingham Band, marking a new era in the band’s development. The updated name reflected its ambition to represent the wider Birmingham community and expand its reach across the region.
We welcomed our new MD Saphran Ali to rehearsals. We're really excited about our future with Saph and what he'll bring to the band.
Vendredi 20 septembre à 20h30 au Théâtre du Jeu de Paume
Concert organisé dans le cadre de l’hommage aux villes marraines de guerre.
Le groupe possède un répertoire varié, de la musique de fanfare traditionnelle à la musique moderne, en passant par des oeuvres classiques, des musiques de films et des arrangements de mélodies populaires. Il y en aura pour tous les goûts.
In a proud moment for the band, the City of Birmingham Brass Band achieved an impressive 3rd place at the Wychavon Festival of Brass. Competing against a strong field of talented ensembles, the band delivered a confident and engaging performance that showcased its musicality, teamwork, and commitment to excellence. This result reflects the hard work of our players, the dedication of our musical leadership, and the positive momentum within the band as we continue to grow and develop. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and grateful for the support of our members, families, and wider community.