We enjoyed a busy summer season this year, playing at the Cambridge Beer Festival, Ely Bandstand, Swaffham Bulbeck Church fete, Ramsey Bands on the Green and at Saffron Walden. We are very grateful to these village, town and city councils for believing in live music and the brass band tradition.
We are now on our summer break and will return in September to start rehearsing for our concert on 22nd November 2026 – 3pm at St Luke’s Church.
We are very grateful to the wonderful volunteers who make the Cambridge Beer Festival such a success for inviting us to play. We had a wonderful time! If you weren’t able to hear us then, do come listen when we play at Ely bandstand on 7th June, Swaffham Bulbeck church fete on 27th June, Saffron Walden bandstand on 4th July or Ramsey Abbey on 26th July. See our engagements page for timings.
We are very excited to have a busy summer season ahead of us – do visit our engagements page to find out when and where you can hear us! First is a performance at the Cambridge Beer Festival on Saturday 23rd May. We hope to see you there!
We are delighted to announce that Graham Sheldon, a very experienced cornet player and bandsman, has agreed to be CSD Brass’s next MD and will take up the baton from Chris Lawrence in September.
We look forward to continued musical excellence and conviviality in the years ahead!
We are very sorry to announce that our Musical Director, Mr Christopher Lawrence, has decided to step down from the band from September 2026, and so CSD will be in need of a new conductor. We are enormously grateful to Chris for his transformative effect on the band’s functioning and for his musically ambitious programming over the last four years.
Prospective candidates to take up the baton from Chris should read the information below. We look forward to hearing from you.
CSD Brass
CSD Brass is a non-contesting, musically confident brass band of around 25 members in the heart of Cambridge, playing at a fourth-section standard. We perform a summer season of lighter music at bandstands and village fetes, carols at Christmas and for the last few years, we have put on two Sunday afternoon concerts each year of substantial original works for brass band. We rehearse at St Luke’s Church, Victoria Road, Cambridge, on Monday evenings from 19.45-21.45. The band is run by an elected committee; musical vision, repertoire decisions and the running of rehearsals are delegated to the Musical Director. We have a loyal audience and usually sell out our concerts.
The Role
We’re looking for a Musical Director from September 2026 to provide a clear musical vision for the band, whose demeanour and personality make rehearsals enjoyable for players.
What You’ll Do
Lead weekly rehearsals on Monday evenings, keeping the band focused, working together, and making the best use of our time.
Prepare repertoire for our own public concerts as well as summer engagements.
Balance encouragement with clear direction, helping individuals and the group grow in confidence.
Work alongside the committee to plan music, performances, and the band’s future development.
What We’re Looking For
An experienced brass player, whether in brass bands or not.
Someone with experience of brass banding or leading musical groups.
A good communicator who can motivate and inspire players.
Someone organised and capable of working as part of a team.
What We Offer
An experienced committee who will keep the band organised while supporting your freedom to choose your own musical vision.
A band with very few vacancies and predictable attendance at rehearsals.
An established reputation and loyal audience at concerts.
A friendly and welcoming atmosphere, with members of the band keen to commit to their own musicianship and keep learning new things.
A warm, comfortable ‘home’ rehearsal and concert venue at St Luke’s Church in Cambridge, with parking.
An honorarium of £40 per rehearsal for the right candidate.
Please send an email with a short explanation of why you could be right for CSD and a suggestion of what your musical vision could be for the band to csdbrass@gmail.com. We expect to hold auditions for prospective MDs at a Monday rehearsal in the spring.
We are delighted to announce that tickets for our Spring concert are now on sale!
We are enjoying getting to grips with our programme for our Autumn concert, featuring music by Vaughan Williams, Rubbra and our own honorary president, Rodney Newton. We hope to see you there – tickets available from the ADC Box Office here.
We are excited to announce that tickets for our Autumn 2025 concert – Variations – are now on sale from the ADC Box Office.
For full details of the programme see the ticketing website. Music to include Rubbra’s Variations on the Shining River, Vaughan Williams’s Variations for Brass Band an an arrangement of Grandfather’s Clock to feature soloist Cameron Scott.
We hope to see you there!
We are looking forward to celebrating our Honorary President Rodney Newton’s 80th birthday in style with a concert on 20th July!
Tickets still available from the ADC Box Office
In honour of our President, Rodney Newton’s 80th birthday, CSD is presenting a very special summer concert on 20th July 2025, entitled Celebration!
Join us at St Luke’s Church, Victoria Road, at 3pm, to hear some of Rodney’s eclectic output, including the beautiful flugelhorn solo Dimitri, the unique Acid Brass medley Acid Drops and pieces written especially for CSD Brass Cambridge and Gulliver’s Travels.
It promises to be a joyous occasion; tickets are already on sale and selling fast. Get yours from the ADC Box office here.
