Scottish CO-OP Band to play in Inverness

Early in October, 2008 it was announced that the Scottish Co-op Band band would give a concert in Inverness on Saturday, 25th October, 2008 as part of its 90th anniversary programme of events. The concert, which would take place in the Town House, Inverness formed part of a series of concerts which would keep the band busy until the end of the year.

The announcement went on  "The band was formed in 1918 in the CWS factories in Shieldhall, Glasgow and, in terms of the number of competitions won, it is, arguably, Scotland's most successful brass band, having been Scottish champions 28 times. In 1990 and, again, in 1996, the band won the National Brass Band Championship of Great Britain at the Royal Albet Hall in London and to this day it remains the only Scottish band ever to have won this prestigious title. In addition, the band has been runner-up in the European Championships twice, in 1988 and 1997, and has been placed third in the British Open Championship twice, in 1992 and 1997.

This 90th anniversary year coincides with the 150th anniversary of the death of Robert Owen (known as the "Father of Co-operation") and some of the concerts have been arranged in partnership with The Co-operative. The first of these took place earlier in the year in the Aros Centre on the Island of Skye and it is believed that the occasion marked the first time that a brass band had visited the island.

The generous support of The Co-operative has been a vital factor in the band's success story and has enabled the band to work with many distinguished conductors over the years. Against this background of concerts and competitions the band is currently putting great effort into establishing a renewed management structure and is working closely with The Co-operative to try and ensure a secure and exciting future.

The band's conductor for the Inverness concert will be Raymond Tennant who is well-known in brass band circles as a tuba player, conductor and adjudicator and tickets for the event are available from the Eden Court Theatre Box Office, Inverness".

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