About Us
We are a First Section brass band based in the beautiful village of Porthleven, with members drawn from the local community and surrounding areas. As mentioned on our home page, the band was established in 1866 and has remained a proud and active part of village life ever since. We are especially proud of our recent musical progress: since 2023, we have risen from the Third Section to the First Section, a testament to the hard work, commitment, and enthusiasm of our MD, Tom Bassett, our players and supporters. We continue to represent Porthleven across Cornwall and compete each year in the regional contests in Torquay, aiming to build on this success.
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We rehearse twice a week in our recently acquired band room, The Old Sunday School. This historic building served the village for decades before becoming a holiday home, and we are delighted that it has now been returned to community use. Not only does it provide us with a welcoming rehearsal space, but it also allows us to host small concerts, fundraising events, and even act as an alternative venue if outdoor performances are rained off. Our senior band rehearsals take place on Monday and Thursday evenings from 19:30 to 21:30, and we welcome anyone who would like to sit in and listen. We actually have three bands: Band Builders (our beginner band for new starters aged six and above), Community Brass (our training band, all ages from 6 to 100+ welcome!), and Porthleven Town Band (our senior band, competing in the First Section).
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As a registered charity, we rely entirely on donations and support from our amazing followers locally and across the globe to keep the band running. You can learn more about our expenses and how to support us on our “Donate” page. We hold regular fundraising events and enjoy performing concerts both as a source of income and a way to share our music with the community. Throughout the summer, you can find us playing outside the Harbour Inn every Sunday evening, and we are often invited to perform at weddings, festivals, and other local events. We are incredibly fortunate to have a loyal team of supporters who volunteer their time to help us collect donations, whether with our shakers or our new contactless card machines.
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At our heart, we are a band family. Many of our members come from long-standing musical lineages, with several families having been part of the band for generations. At the same time, we warmly welcome new players into our friendly and supportive ensembles, helping us strengthen our sound and share the joy of music with even more people.
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If you have any questions about the band or would like to know more, please get in touch via social media or email us at info@porthleventownband.com. We’d love to hear from you.
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