The East Anglian Brass Band Association is an affiliation of brass bands from the geographical region of England generally known as East Anglia.

AIM OF THE ASSOCIATION 

ACTIVITIES

Annual Spring Festival 

The Annual Spring Festival takes place at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, Norfolk, on the last Sunday prior to the May Day Bank Holiday Monday. The Festival comprises a daytime grading contest, which is followed by an Evening Gala Concert.  The Contest is closed, for the participation of Member bands only. 

     Annual Solo & Quartet Contest 

The Annual Solo & Ensemble Contest is held each September at Blackfriars' and St. Andrew's Halls, Norwich.  The Contest is closed, for participation of Members only. 

Brass Training Days

Brass Training Days are held during the Autumn. The events are open and non-Association members are welcome.  For information please contact the Secretary at above address.  .

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION 

 The East Anglian Brass Band Association was established in 1931, after several years formative work  by Mr E.T. (Tommy) Ruffles, Musical Director of the Reepham Town Band and Secretary of the Norfolk  Brass Band Federation. Bands from Suffolk and Cambridgeshire were encouraged to join with those in  Norfolk and the first Spring Festival (then the Easter Monday Contest) was held at the Empire Theatre, Fakenham in 1932. Each year the festival was held at a different venue, and was once held in a giant  marquee at the home of its President. The Second World War years intervened, with no contests held  between 1940 and 1946. Resuming in 1947, the contest settled at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, where it  was firmly established until 1964 when it moved to Thetford. During that time it changed title twice-firstly to the Palm Sunday Contest and then to the Spring Festival and, as that, it is held on the nearest Sunday to 1st May. The Festival returned to St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich in 1983. A Youth Section was inaugurated in 1991 with five bands participating. In 1998, with funding from the National Lottery through the Arts Council of England, six new works were commissioned for that year's Festival, one of which was for bands with members under 15 years of age, and so a new Junior Youth Section was inaugurated. Six bands participated in that section, with three bands competing in the new Primary Youth Section.  A further four new works were commissioned in 1999 and another in 2000. In 1997 the Association gained Registered Charity status. In November 2000 the Association staged "Concert Brass 2000", a concert of original brass band music to mark the dawn of the New Millennium. The concert was directed by Derek Broadbent and was recorded live at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich and included the newly commissioned march by the conductor,"The Norvicensians". CD recordings of the concert are available from the Association Secretary.

In November 2001, the Trustees adopted a "Policy for Child Protection and Safeguarding Tutors in Brass Bands". The Policy was authorised by Suffolk Area Child Protection Committee and it is believed that the Association is the first such organisation to formulate such an important document. The Trustees also adopted a formal "Equal Opportunties Policy".