The GUS Band is a world-famous
, based in
Kettering
Kettering is a market and industrial town in North Northamptonshire, England. It is located north of London and north-east of Northampton, west of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene. The name means "the place (or territory) of Ket ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Originally known as the Munn and Felton Works Band, it was formed by Fred Felton in 1933 in
Kettering
Kettering is a market and industrial town in North Northamptonshire, England. It is located north of London and north-east of Northampton, west of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene. The name means "the place (or territory) of Ket ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
.
Since then, the band has won many prizes and competitions over the years.
History
On 2 January 1933, the ''
Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph
The ''Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph'' is the local newspaper for north and east Northamptonshire and is the sister paper of Northampton's '' Chronicle & Echo''. It is based at Newspaper House in Rothwell Road, Kettering, and has since 1996 ...
'' reported
the formation of the 'Munn and Felton Works Brass Band'. In that article, Mr Fred Felton, co-managing director of the firm, said: "We are out to make it the finest combination in the country, and to make it a contesting band of note throughout the country". Two years later the new band were champions of Great Britain.
Since then, under the names of Munn and Felton, GUS (Footwear), The GUS Band, Rigid Containers Group Band, Travelsphere Holidays Band and now the Virtuosi GUS Band,
the band has travelled Britain, Europe and America, appearing in concert halls, on television and radio,
and has released many records and CDs.
Major honours
The band's contesting successes include winning 1 World Championship, 6 British National Championships, 2 British Open Championships, and 15 Midlands Championship titles.
Musical directors
The following list of resident and guest conductors is compiled from past contest results.
Partial discography
The band has released over 50 albums,
a selection of which are listed here:
* ''Christmas Fantasia - The Music of Andrew Wainwright''
* ''Freeh-Way''
* ''A Mingled Chime''
* ''Bandology''
* ''British Bandstand''
* ''Bandstand (volumes 1 to 10)''
* ''Brass in Perspective''
* ''Celebration Golden Jubilee''
* ''European Journey''
* ''In a Tribute to
Eric Ball''
* ''Journeys in Brass''
* ''Kings of Brass''
* ''Rhapsody in Blue'' - with
Don Lusher OBE Soloist
* ''Travelling Light''
* ''The World Champions Play Test Pieces for Brass''
* ''English Landscapes''
* ''Around the World in Eighty Minutes''
References
External links
Official websiteSpotlight on GUS
{{Authority control
British brass bands
British instrumental musical groups
1933 in music
Musical groups established in 1933