*
banner

Radio: Touch of Brass

More great music at a new time from Martin Upfold and Julie Hedges over the next two weeks.

radio
  The show is now on at a new time.

The Touch of Brass programme is hosted by Martin Upfold and co-presenter Julie Hedge is on the air each week on Community Radio Station Swindon105.5.com at 5.00pm — 6.00pm.

Not only can you tune in each week and listen to a new programme, you can also repeat things on 'Catch Up' too.

Martin Upfold

Martin's family banding roots lie with Pelton Fell Band, now the NASUWT Riverside Band with whom his grandfather and great grandfather both played.

He started to play on Eb bass aged 13, and went on to play with Swindon Youth Band, the Swindon Young Musicians Club, Swindon Concert Brass and Aldbourne Band.

He returned to Swindon Band and continued to play with them under the late Francis Cowley. He also had time to fit in playing with the Wessex RAF Voluntary Band and went on to play again with Swindon Pegasus Brass.

He started to work with Community radio station Swindon105.5 in 2008 presenting 'A Touch of Brass' which you can hear between 6pm & 7pm every Sunday evening.

In 2020 he was diagnosed with Parkinsons but has maintained his programme ever since, much to the delight of listeners around the banding world who listen in every week.

Welcome

Martin welcomes listeners every Sunday between 5.00pm & 6.00pm on Swindon105.5 or (FM)105.5, on the App, Now on Digital,

Go to www.swindon1055.com and click on 'Listen Live', or if you missed the show y, click on 'Catch Up'.

You can also leave a message to get a track played at martin.upfold@swindon1055.com or info@swindon1055.com (putting your message c/o A Touch of Brass) or telephone Swindon105.5 between 10am — 3pm, Monday — Friday on 01793 611555 and leave a message.

Sunday 15th February:

5.00pm — 6.00pm

Ceremonial March from Aida (Verdi)
Band of the Coldstream Guards

Pomp and Circumstance March No.4 (Elgar)
Band of the Coldstream Guards

Demelza (Nash)
Swindon Brass
Soloist: Duncan Mead

Rondo from 4th Horn Concerto (Mozart)
Yorkshire Imperial Metals

Hava Nagila (Trad)
Carlton Main Frickley Collier

Flight of the Bumble Bee (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Black Dyke Band
Soloists: Robert & Nicholas Childs

On the Town (Bernstein)
Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag

The Rose (McBroom)
Band of the Harwich RBL

Elizabethan Serenade (Binge)
The Lost Chord (Sullivan)
Black Dyke Band
Huddersfield Choral Society

March from A Moorside Suite (Holst)
Grimethorpe Colliery Band

Sunday 22nd February:


Bandology (Osterling)
Yorkshire Imperial Metals

Overture to Mack & Mabel (Herman)
Aldbourne

Brilliante
Foden's Band
Soloist: Glyn Williams

A Trumpeter's Lullaby (Anderson)
Miss Blue Bonnet (Simon & Smith)
Brighouse & Rastrick
Soloist: Roger Webster

633 Squadron (Goodwin)
Central Band of the Royal Air Force

The Hustle (McCoy)
Williams Fairey

Benedictus from the Armed Man (Jenkins)
Cory

Don't Cry for Me Argentina (Webber/Rice)
Williams Fairey

You Raise Me Up (Loveland)
Reg Vardy Band

Love Divine
Praise My Soul The King of Heaven
Grimethorpe

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


York Barbican

National Finals to move to York

February 27 • The Section 1-4 National Finals will be held York Barbican this year as the contest heads north from Cheltenham.


Norwegain

11 bands face potential Norwegian national relegation

February 27 • Bands that failed to pay their annual NMF membership fee on time could find themselves relegated to the bottom tier of their National Championship.


French National Championships

French bands prepare for National challenges

February 27 • The 2026 French National Championships take place in Forges-les-Eaux in Normandy this weekend.


ISM

ISM to host Make Music Work conference day

February 27 • If you want to find out how to make a sustainable career in the music industry then get along to the ISM 'Make Music Work' conference day in London in April.


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Friday 27 February • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Oompah Brass XXL

Friday 27 February • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Sunday 1 March • St. Alfege Church. Greenwich Church Street. London SE10 9BJ


Regent Hall Concerts - London Central Fellowship Band

Saturday 7 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Regent Hall Concerts - Regent Hall Band of the Salvation Army

Tuesday 10 March • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Harlow Brass Band

February 27 • We are a friendly, non-contesting band who have the following vacancies:. Trombones, 2nd Horn, Back Row Cornets, Percussion. . We rehearse every Thursday in Harlow, 8-10pm and play at local events throughout the year.


Newmarket Town Band

February 27 • Newmarket Town Band is inviting applications for the post of 'Musical Director'. We are a non-contesting band who play to a high standard with regular bookings throughout the year. Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays 7:30 - 9:30pm


Banks Brass Band

February 25 • It's not too late to join Banks Brass Band, a friendly non-contesting band near Southport. All players welcome particularly euphoniums, trombones and basses. Rehearsals: Mondays 8.00-9.30pm in the Hub@Banks community centre, PR9 8BL


Dr. Stephen Arthur Allen

D. Phil. (Oxon) [Ph.D Oxford University], GBSM, LTCL, ABSM, ALCM, Cert. Ed.


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd