The Brass Band Story – Trevor Herbert

in conversation with Trisha Cooper
Sat 10 October, 2026 at 2:00 pm

Brass bands have played a unique role in the cultural history of Britain. During the industrial revolution, an increasingly urban population turned to music for mass entertainment and brass bands became associated with working men. They spread across the country at breath-taking speed and at their height in the late Victorian era, there were thousands of them. Trevor Herbert reveals the story of these bands, from their working-class origins and the enormous popularity of Victorian contests to their sophistication in modern times.

Trevor Herbert was introduced to music in the junior brass band of the colliery where his father worked and is a professional trombone player. He is Emeritus Professor of Music at the Open University and Research Professor at the Royal College of Music.