About the NEBB

The New England Brass Band (NEBB) is a 30-piece brass and percussion ensemble, adhering to the instrumentation of the “British Brass Band” tradition. Based in the Boston area, NEBB rehearses weekly in Wilmington, Massachusetts and draws auditioned volunteer players from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine.

The NEBB musicians are all volunteers who support the organization through their time as well as a membership fee that helps supports the Band’s operations.  NEBB has a volunteer board of 4 officers and 5 directors.  The NEBB is organized under a set of bylaws and maintains its 501(c)(3) registration with the IRS and departments of Revenue and State in Massachusetts.

Mission

The Mission of the New England Brass Band (NEBB) is to create a challenging environment for accomplished musicians, to celebrate and preserve the unique British Brass Band sound, and share the results of our passion with the community through performances, education, and outreach. 

Goals

The NEBB goals are twofold:

1. Present high quality musical performances throughout the New England area to demonstrate the beauty and uncommon sounds of British Brass music.
2. Provide a challenging setting where selected musicians can continually improve their brass banding abilities.

Key Achievements

The NEBB sometimes participates in the annual North American Brass Band Association Championships (NABBA), competing 13 times between 2001 and 2019. Highlights include 2004 (Charleston, WV) when the band placed first in the Challenge Division, 2006 (Louisville, KY) when the band won first place in the Honors Division, and 2016 (Fort Wayne, IN) with a strong runner-up finish in the 2nd Division.

Since 1999, the NEBB has produced an acclaimed series of seven compact disc recordings featuring an eclectic variety of music. “Christmas Joy” (1999), was the band’s first CD of Christmas music (and is now out of print). “Honour and Glory” (2000 – 2001) features music representative of the British band tradition replete with marches, patriotic songs, tone poems on dramatic themes and sacred music. “The Light of the World” (2003 – 2004) is a recording of some of the best sacred literature written for brass band. “This is Christmas” (2005), is a second recorded program of Christmas music (also out of print) .  “Be Glad Then America” (2006 – 2007) won the first NABBA “Recording of The Year” contest.  “In Concert” (2008-2009) features a more classical British Brass Band repertoire, performed as if in a live concert. The very popular “Christmas Around the World” (2012-2013) is the band’s 3rd Christmas CD. It provides a worldwide triptych of favorite Christmas tunes from Latin America, Spain, France, Germany, England, Russia, and America.