About the Saskatoon Brass Band

The SBB uses the standard brass band instrumentation of 25 brass musicians playing Eb and Bb cornets, flugelhorn, Eb alto horns, baritones, euphoniums, tenor and bass trombones, and Eb and Bb basses, plus percussion.

Band History

The Saskatoon Brass Band has been active in Saskatchewan since 1981 when it was founded by Brian Fox and Jim Horne. Both Brian and Jim had brass banding experience from Britain, where brass bands had their origins in the early 1800's. Their mission was to introduce the fine choral sound of the British brass band to Saskatchewan brass players and audiences, and that remains part of our mandate.

Diversity of Playing Skills

Our band membership includes adults of diverse backgrounds including music education and performance professionals. We also have some university and high school students. Our playing level is generally fairly advanced and our repertoire includes many challenging works.

Registered Charity

As a registered charity, the band plays several free public concerts a year at seniors homes, hospitals, special care facilities, parks and the farmers' market. You can support our charitable mission through a tax-deductible donation.

Band owned Instruments for use by Members

The band supplies some of the instruments people are unlikely to own, such as cornets and alto horns. See the "Costs" link to the side for more information about that.

Bridge City Brass

In the fall of 2008, we formed the Bridge City Brass Band for players who are looking for something a bit lighter in playing demands. Bridge City Brass practises on Thursday evenings. See our "bridge city brass" link above for more information.

Other Groups or Ensembles

In addition to the Band itself, we often form quartets within the group, providing a more intense experience and challenge.

Players are also encouraged to play solo pieces in concert. If you are interested, let our bandmaster know.

Festivals and Competition

The band regularly attends music festivals, competitions and workshops. In the past, we have participated in the Optimist Festival and Unifest at the University of Saskatchewan.

Since 2001, we have collaborated with bands from Regina, Winnipeg, and Edmonton in the annual Prairie Brass Band Festival.

We have also organized workshops with highly regarded international and local brass band personalities such as Bram Gregson, Howard Cable, Derek Broadbent, Bob Latimer and Robert Gibson.

Brass Band Popularity in North America

Having garnered mass public interest in Britain for two centuries, brass bands are rapidly gaining popularity in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and even Japan. In Canada there are somewhere between 10 & 20 bands, with more starting up every year. No wonder! Although brass instruments are not simple to play well, the sound of a really good brass band is, frankly, awesome.