City of Southampton (Albion) Band

The City of Southampton (Albion) Band is a brass band that was founded in 1920,[1] and since then it has been part of the City's heritage, cultural, and community scene playing at The Dell, (Southampton Football Club's old ground ) for over forty years and at leading local events such as Remembrance Day, VE and VJ Day parades and at the FA Cup Final celebrations in 1976. The Band is also at the forefront of playing cruise liners away from the quayside in the historic "Titanic" tradition.

The Band has a very full and varied engagement list in addition to the above, including formal concerts, bandstands, charity events, Christmas carols, and regular tours abroad.

Highlights included playing at the "Cutty Sark" in Maritime Greenwich as part of the on-course entertainment at the Flora London Marathon, a "four engagement" week-end on the Isle of Wight, St. James's Park Bandstand, London and the British Korean Veterans Association Reunion.

The band has been on a number of tours in recent years:

• 2010 Portugal - Faro (June)
• 2008 Germany - Reims Muir Kriss
• 2007 Torquay and the South Hams
• 2006 Isle of Wight
• 2005 Portugal - Faro
• 2003 Germany - Reims Muir Kriss
• 2002 Weymouth

Nick Dawson, the Band's Director of Music, has been its conductor for over thirteen years and gained his earlier experience in the 1980s with Roger Swift, Director of Music at Kneller Hall and with Jerry MacCall of the Coldstream Guards.