Ammanford News

The last post for Ammanford Silver Band?

7:10am Thursday 2nd September 2010

THE future of one of Ammanford’s great institutions is under a cloud unless new blood can be found to boost its membership.

The Ammanford Silver Band, which began life at the Pontaman chemical works more than 150 years ago, is struggling to find new players.

The band has enjoyed a long and successful tradition competing across the country, but a decline in membership has left organisers with a major headache.

Such has been the band’s decline in numbers that it could not even muster enough members to enter Ammanford’s own bi-annual band competition.

"There has been a decline in the membership of bands throughout the country," said band chairman David Rees.

"But here in Ammanford it has become a real problem.

"We are struggling to even enter competitions because there are simply not enough players.

"When I started playing more than 30 years ago, I was given an instrument at school and encouraged to join the town band, but it appears that that is no longer the case with today’s youngsters.

"The real shame is that while children still play instruments at school today, it seems that once they leave they do not know they can continue playing with us."

The band, which currently has between 10 and 15 regular players, needs at least another 10 members to enter competitions – a situation that Mr Rees is desperate to rectify.

"Our doors are open to new players, players who have given up and players who may have moved to the area," he said.

"To seriously compete we need 25 brass players, three percussionists and a conductor. Every one of those players is extremely important to the band, but at the moment we just do not have the numbers.

"We are desperately trying to keep the band going on a smaller scale than in the past – as a concert band, playing at fetes and carnivals, but we need new members.

"At the end of the day, being in a band is a fantastic hobby and I would urge anyone – particularly youngsters – to get involved and make the Ammanford Silver Band great once again."

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