Cory Band

Cory Band are from the Rhondda Valley in Wales. They were formed in 1884 and originally bore the name ‘Ton Temperance’ a reference to the Temperance movement in the South Wales Valleys of the time. In 1895 Sir Clifford Cory, Chairman of Cory Brothers, heard the band and offered to provide financial assistance for them, resulting in the band’s change of name to ‘Cory’. In 1920, the band gained championship status and three years later achieved the distinction of performing what is believed to have been the first radio broadcast by a brass band. A significant honour was bestowed on the band in 1976 when they were chosen to represent Wales and the Brass Band Movement on a tour of the USA as part of their bi-centennial celebrations.

• National Champions - 1974, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2000, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019
• British Open Champions - 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2018, 2019
• European Champions - 1980, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019
• Brass In Concert Champions - 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019
• World Music Contest Champions 2009 - 2012
• Band Cymru Champions 2014, 2016, 2018

Cory Band has developed musically outside of the contest field. In 2001, together with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales they were appointed as resident ensemble to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and in the same year appointed Dr John Pickard as their Composer in Residence. John Pickard’s tenure with the band ended in July 2005 when the band made history giving the première performance of his Gaia Symphony at the prestigious Cheltenham International Festival. The symphony was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Over an hour in duration, it is currently the largest scale original work in the repertory.

The band is dedicated to new music, raising the profile of the brass band genre and keeping music alive in Wales. They have an active commissioning policy and have performed works by many of Britain’s leading composers; John McCabe, Judith Bingham, Elgar Howarth, Edward Gregson, Alun Hoddinott, Karl Jenkins, Gareth Wood, David Bedford, as well as John Pickard. The band’s current Associate Composer is Christopher Bond.

In 2002 the band were selected to play for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations and have since performed in many of the world’s finest concert venues including the Grieg Hall, Stravinsky Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and Symphony Hall, Birmingham. In 2003, they performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Last Night of the Welsh Proms and were also featured during the opening celebrations of the new Wales Millennium Centre.

Cory Band are recognised as one of Wales’ finest and most innovative music ensembles. Their numerous CD recordings and live concert performances have received worldwide acclaim. Having dominated in Wales for the last fourteen years, 2005 saw the Cory Band officially ranked number 1 in the World (according to Brassstats World Rankings [2]).

In 2007, following the end of the term of sponsorship from the Buy As You View company, the name of the band reverted to Cory Band.

In September 2011, the band became British Open champions for the fifth time in eleven years, having previously won in 2000, 2002, 2007 & 2009.

In May 2008, the band became European Brass Band Champions following two days of competition in Stavanger, Norway. This was the first of a hat-trick of European wins, as the band retained the title in 2009 & 2010. They regained the European title in 2013.

In October, 2013, the band became the National Brass Band Champions of Great Britain,[3] a feat that they repeated in 2015.[4] In February 2016, the band undertook an eight-concert tour of the Eastern United States of America. Later that same year, the band achieved a grand slam of all major British titles in the same calendar year.

• List of brass bands
• Music of Wales

Official website