The Association
was founded in 1952 as the National School
Brass Band Association to provide voluntary
help, support and advice on the formation of young bands in
schools and in the community at a time when structures for provision
of music in schools barely existed. The Association’s work
quickly became recognised and widely welcomed across the UK. It
proved to be a major stimulus in also encouraging local authorities
and schools to offer some forms of musical provision of their
own (e.g. teaching and instruments) for children wishing to play
brass instruments and to learn and play together in groups and
bands.
The Association
generated not only a new climate but went on to provide the means
by which children’s collective music-making could be clearly
linked to local, regional and national cultural and musical contexts
and traditions.
In 1980
the Association opened its doors to include both wind and brass
bands and became known as The National School
Band Association. NSBA, therefore, has a
proud record of national and regional Festivals. From this background
have come countless mature musicians of the highest quality, voluntary
leaders and motivators of todays young bands and, not least, new
generations of voluntary leadership, service and commitment to
the NSBA itself.
The financial
stringencies seen in schools and educational authorities since
the start of the 1990s, leading
to a virtual collapse of the fabric of musical provision and opportunities
for children in many areas has
lead the NSBA to continually reviews
its performance, its aims and objectives, consulting across a
wide spectrum of advisers, professional musicians, teachers, local
authorities and commercial interests. It therefore has confidence
and support in its work and its future mission. Its track record
has repeatedly demonstrated a flexible and effective response
to those adverse and changing circumstances which continue to
impact upon equality of access to an appropriate musical education
for children and young people.
