Kings Korner Band

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History

Performances 2008

A brief history of the band

The Kings Korner Band was established at the time of the first Pewsey Carnival procession in 1898 and consisted of villagers playing tin whistles, mouth organs, even comb and paper. Anybody who could play anything was welcome to join in and make music and that’s how it has been to this very day.

Times of war saw little change, although in some years only three managed to make the carnival route - bass drum, side drum and melodeon ... but make it they did and the band and carnival lived on.

After more than a century the Kings Korner Band still heads the famous carnival procession each September. It also makes a number of appearances throughout the year at notable events such as the Great Dorset Steam Fair and has ventured several times across the water to play in France, Guernsey and the Isle of Wight - it is always warmly welcomed and usually invited back! A favourite is the Fete de la Scie in Harfleur – a medieval festival held over three days in April in which the band has taken part in recent years.

Originally based at the Coopers Arms near King’s Corner, a junction where King Alfred is reputed to have stopped en route to Winchester, the band moved to The Phoenix in the centre of Pewsey where it remained for twenty years. Since the demolition of the pub in 2000 the Royal Oak has acted as a base for the band.

Always colourful in appearance the band consists of up to 30 members at any one time whose ages vary between 10 and 80 something. Their music is produced on a wide variety of instruments – trumpets, saxophone, trombone, clarinet and penny whistle; accordions; bass, side drums and Bhodran; cymbals tambourines, mouth organ, maracas – and there is always room for more.

In February 2003 the band returned to its former home to record it’s first CD. The pub is now under new management of course - in fact the landlord is a faithful member of the band and plays a mean triangle too! The CD aptly entitled ‘Back to the Coopers’ is a tribute to band members past and present who have dedicated their time and talents to making the Kings Korner Band unique.