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What is a Brass Band?
Brass Bands originated in England during the last half of the 19th Century when conical bore instruments such as the cornet were developed into a full-voiced family. The first brass bands were sponsored by companies such as mills, factories, and mines to provide a social outlet for their employees.
As more companies began to sponsor bands, friendly rivalries evolved leading to the institution of competitions between bands. Competitions remain popular in the United Kingdom today and an annual National Championship contest is held each year in London for top bands which advance through regional contests.
The film "Brassed Off" features an excellent example of the British brass band competition system. Corporate sponsorship continues in the United Kingdom. Many bands have evolved to a semi-professional status where outstanding brass musicians are employed by a company with the full extent of their contract being that they perform with that firm's band.
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