Joining a Brass Band Options

[I_just_love_brass]

Can anyone help?

I took up the cornet again in January after a very long absence and decided to start from (nearly) the beginning with a view to joining a local brass band (West Yorkshire) as I love the music, play the CDs all the time and generally drive my 11 year old insane. I am taking my ABRSM Grade 2 next month and aim to take the Grade 3 at the end of the year. I remember when I was at school learning, many moons ago, that I was encouraged to join a band to enhance my playing.

I know there are a number of Junior Bands and Learner Bands but being of the (cough) older fraternity, I am trying to find out what is an acceptable standard to start to enquire about joining a more senior band.

Now before you say that it depends on the standard of the band, I am not looking to join the Black Dyke Band or the Brighouse and Rastrick Band, just a local non competing or 4th Section band for a bit of fun.

I have thought about ringing a few but don?t want to look an idiot when invited down and realise that I just won?t cut it, likewise I don?t want to wait until I have done Grade 5 and realise that I could have joined on 2 grades ago.

Has anyone got any advice?

Thanks

[JimD]

As Lisa says, ring up your nearest band.

Most 4th section bands will welcome players of any level to sit in at practices. Nobody ever asked me what grade I was at (just as well as I never took grade exams!)