Wiltshire village brass band for children scoops national award

Lydia Grace-Hills, musical director of Bratton Brass Roots, near Westbury, was named Best Music Learning Initiative in the Classic FM Music Teacher of the Year Awards 2024, in partnership with ABRSM.

She said: “We are over the moon to win this prestigious award. It was an honour to be shortlisted, so to win is an incredible feat.

“This is a life-changing grass roots initiative to keep one of the oldest brass bands in the country, Bratton Silver Band, to keep going by offering affordable and accessible Brass Band lessons to both local children and adults who wish to be involved.”

The national award recognises her efforts to bring music to children and equip them with the skills to become the talented musicians of tomorrow. 

Lydia Grace-Hills and members of the Bratton Brass Roots project are celebrating winning a Classic FM Award and £3,000 to buy new instruments. (Image: Bratton Brass Roots)

Bratton Brass Roots wins £3,000 to spend on musical instruments and equipment of its choice, and Lydia says they have already spent some of the award on instruments for 15 new beginners.

Led by Lydia, from Trowbridge, who plays the flugelhorn, Bratton Brass Roots was formed in October 2023 and is supported by a team of volunteers.

Bratton Brass Roots is part of the Bratton Community Brass Bands organisation, which also includes Bratton Silver Band and Bratton Brass Band, to develop young musical talent for the future.

Aware of dwindling band membership, especially among young people, Lydia and her team set out to provide a fun and educational access point into musicianship.

She said: “Due to cuts to arts funding, we soon realised that if we wanted brass education to be accessible in the local area we were going to have to do it ourselves - and thus began the Brass Roots journey.”

Lydia Grace-Hills and members of the Bratton Brass Roots. (Image: Bratton Brass Roots)

Meeting every week at the Bratton Church Institute, Bratton Brass Roots has already won an ABRSM Music Medal Award.

Lydia and her team now hope the Classic FM award, along with £3,000 worth of instruments, will allow Bratton Brass Roots to expand its reach and encourage more young people to benefit from music education. 

Musicians from the inaugural Bratton Brass Roots group have already progressed into a Junior Brass Band, and it isn’t just the younger generation benefiting from the initiative.

An Adult Beginners group was recently launched and some of these musicians have already progressed within the organisation. The project has around 30 members learning and a new batch of 15 beginners joined on Monday, September 30.

Since 2023, Bratton Brass Roots has staged two sets of free brass band concerts at eight local primary schools as part of Brass Bands England’s ‘Proms in the Playground’ scheme. These concerts allowed over 2,000 children to hear a brass band play a range of music – many for the first time.

In addition, the initiative held a variety of events, including open days, summer schools, workshops, and numerous free concerts in their local community, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to hear and experience live brass band music without financial restraints.

Lydia added: “The best thing about it all is seeing children find their thing. In today's education system, reading, writing, and maths are often considered the pinnacle of achievement. For some children who struggle with those subjects, education can be hard.

“We have a fair population of children with special educational needs in our Roots programme, and once they find their instrument, find the love, and thrive at something, it is incredible to see them blossom – not only as musicians but as individuals.”