We rehearse every other Tuesday evening during term time at the invicta Girls Grammar School in Huntsmans Lane, Maidstone.

To join-

e-mail jh@jhcooper.freeserve.co.uk

or phone 01732 365698

We have a committed core of players who attend these rehearsals and pay a monthly subscription. We then have a number of regular “guest” players who assist us at our concerts to ensure that we have a full band and do justice to our repertoire.

What is the history of Maidstone Winds?

Maidstone Winds was set up by Brendon Le Page in 1996 to provide an outlet for talented wind players building on the fine tradition of the wind ensembles of the Kent Music School and Maidstone Youth Music (MYMS). Maidstone Winds is not however affiliated to these or any other organisations and exists independently, run by an elected committee of members who appoint a musical director.

When does the band next meet?

See the page called "Infor for playing members"

^{We normally meet every other week during school term times from October to June (but not in January).}

What music do we play?

recent repertoire:-

Remembrance Concert - Maidstone Winds

Children’s Concert – Mote Hall Feb05 Guest Conductor:- Jeffrey Vaughan Martin (concert shared with MYMS Orchestra):-

            Festivo – Gregson;

Tubby the Tuba

Summer and autumn concerts in Maidstone and Chislehurst:-

            Percy Grainger – Country Gardens & Over the Hills and Far Away

            Martin Ellerby – Dona Nobis Pacem

            Sullivan/Mackerras – Suite from Pineapple Poll

            Dyson – RAF March Past

            Nigel Hess – Scramble!

            Tomlinson – Suite of English Folk Dances

            Street – Nott’num Town

Christmas performance in Charing:-

            Eric Ball – Star Lake

            Malcolm Binney – Charivari

            Wilfred Josephs – Rail

            Leroy Anderson – Christmas Festival & Sleigh Ride

            Selection  - Oliver!

Who conducts the band?

Jeremy Cooper MA AdCertRCM had his interest in wind bands stimulated by membership of the Kent Schools’ Symphonic Wind Band before becoming a member of the National Youth Wind Orchestra. He studied music at Oxford, where he was conductor of the Oxford University Wind Orchestra, and conducting at the Royal College of Music. He has developed Invicta Wind Orchestra as its director since it was founded in 1989 and was appointed conductor of Maidstone Winds in September 2004.