It’s been a hectic summer for the City of Bradford Brass Band, who play in Ilkley on Friday (July 6) at this year’s Midsummer Brass Concert at Christchurch on The Grove.

In May the band were flying the flag for the town at the Chelsea Flower Show with an enthusiastic rendering of the Ilkley anthem On Ilkla Moor baht ‘at and in June they took part in a documentary for ITV about World War I.

And as if that’s not enough the band has just finished recording their 3rd album, “Pageantry”, due for release in the Autumn.

It’s all left the Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club, who organise the concert, very relieved to have put a marker in the band’s diary for this year’s Midsummer Brass , the moment they left the hall after last year’s sell-out event.

“The band is clearly in huge demand”, said Rotarian organiser Chris Jones. “We’ve booked them year on year for eight years now and they’re obviously going from strength to strength”

The band had been invited to help launch the Yorkshire Dales-inspired Welcome to Yorkshire Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower show and were thrilled to learn that the garden won a Gold Award as well as the BBC People’s Choice Award.

Fans should all be able to hear them again in a village fete scene when the ITV documentary they have been filming is aired in September.

Of interest also, is their recent signing on solo trombone of Burley-in Wharfedale musician Dan Eddison. Dan has returned to his native Yorkshire after six years of study at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, in Glasgow, and regular performing around Scotland and the North of England, with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Northern Symphonia. A former pupil of Guiseley School, Dan has also played in the BBC Promenade Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and performs regularly with “The Wallace Collection”, a professional brass ensemble that specialises in playing original brass repertoire on antique instruments. Of the City of Bradford Brass Band he said, “The band is one of the top bands in the country. It punches it’s weight with the older bands. I really enjoy the spirit and attitude of the band that musical director Lee Skipsey has developed.”

Tickets for the concert, which raises funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK and End Polio Now and starts at 7.30pm on Friday July 6, at Christchurch, The Grove, Ilkley, are £12.50 (under 15’s £6) with refreshments and a programme included. They are available from the Grove Book Shop Music Dept or by emailing cbjemails@gmail.com.