Langley Band is our flagship contesting band — the ensemble that carries forward over 148 years of brass banding heritage in the heart of the Black Country. We currently compete in the Championship Section, the top tier of UK brass banding.
Founded in 1878, Langley Band has built a reputation over generations for combining serious musicianship with genuine community spirit. Around 30 players — including students, teachers, engineers, police officers, doctors, accountants, and civil servants — give up their own time for twice-weekly rehearsals and a busy calendar of engagements, all in pursuit of the same goal: playing to the highest standard we can.
We perform at concerts, contests, and events across the Black Country, the West Midlands and further afield, host our own long running popular concert series at our local Barlow Theatre in Langley, and have taken the band’s sound overseas to Frankfurt, Germany and Noordervijk, Belgium. Over the years we’ve broadcast nationally and locally, including on the BBC’s Listen to the Band, and recorded across LP, cassette, and CD.
As a Championship Section contesting band, we take to the stage each year at regional and national contests, testing ourselves against some of the finest ensembles in the country and continually pushing our own standards higher.
Langley Band’s Musical Director is Dr Brett Baker — principal trombone of the world-famous Cory Band and a highly respected figure in British brass banding, with a background spanning performing, education, and adjudication at the highest level. We’re delighted to welcome him as we build on our Championship Section ambitions.
We are entirely self-supporting, relying on concert fees, recordings, donations, and members’ subscriptions to keep the music going.
Interested in joining us, booking us, or finding out more?