The Cory Band
• World Number One Ranked Brass Band 2007-157
• National Champions 1974, 1982-84, 2000, 2013, 2015, 2016
• British Open Champions 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2016
• European Champions 1980, 2008-10, 2013, 2016
• World Music Contest Champions 2009-2012
• Brass in Concert Champions 2008, 2012-13, 2015, 2016
• S4C Band Cymru Champions 2014
• Welsh Regional Champions 1952, 1960-62, 1964-67, 1972, 1974, 1979-82, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002-07, 2009, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2017
• National Champions 1974, 1982-84, 2000, 2013, 2015, 2016
• British Open Champions 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2016
• European Champions 1980, 2008-10, 2013, 2016
• World Music Contest Champions 2009-2012
• Brass in Concert Champions 2008, 2012-13, 2015, 2016
• S4C Band Cymru Champions 2014
• Welsh Regional Champions 1952, 1960-62, 1964-67, 1972, 1974, 1979-82, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002-07, 2009, 2011-12, 2014-15, 2017
The Cory Band hails from Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. They were formed in 1884 and originally bore the name ‘Ton Temperance’. In 1895 Sir Clifford Cory, Chairman of Cory Brothers heard the band and offered to provide financial assistance for them, resulting in the band’s change of name to ‘Cory’.
In 1920 the band gained championship status and three years later achieved the distinction of performing what is believed to have been the first radio broadcast by a brass band. A significant honour was bestowed on the band in 1976 when they were chosen to represent Wales and the brass band movement on a tour of the USA as part of the bicentennial celebrations there. The band repeated the tour on the 40th anniversary of the visit, last February. Cory has also toured extensively across Europe and toured across Australia in 2013.
Cory's contest successes are legendary. In 1980, Cory became the first band from Wales to win the European Brass Band Champions and in 1984, their centenary year, they won the third in a hat-trick of National Championship of Great Britain titles at London's Royal Albert Hall. During the millennium year they achieved a historic 'double' winning both the British Open and National Championships in the same year, and again made history in taking the British Open Shield home to Wales for the first time in the contest’s 148-year history. This triumph was repeated again in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011 when the band won their second, third, fourth and fifth British Open titles. In 2008 the Cory Band then won the European Championships in Stavanger, Norway, retained the title in 2009 in Oostende, Belgium, and then completed a historic hat-trick in 2010 in Linz, Austria. In 2009 the band also travelled to the World Music Festival held in Kerkrade, the Netherlands, where they won the World Championships, a title they held for 4 years. The success continued in 2014 as Cory Band again became Welsh Champions, as well as the inaugural winner of S4C's Band Cymru TV competition. On top of this it was shortlisted for the St David Awards, presented by Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones to outstanding organisations in Wales, and invited to attend the NATO summit held in Newport in September. In 2015, the band added further to their accolades, becoming again Welsh Regional, Brass In Concert and National Champions of Great Britain. Cory have now been the number one ranked band in the world for ten consecutive years.
In addition to their unprecedented level of success in competition, the Cory Band has also developed musically outside of the contest field. In 2001, together with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Cory were appointed ensemble in residence to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and that same year appointed Dr. John Pickard as their first 'Composer in Residence'. Dr. Pickard’s tenure with the band ended in July 2005 when the band made history giving the première performance of his 'Gaia Symphony' at the prestigious Cheltenham International Festival. The Symphony was broadcast live on Radio 3, and, lasting over an hour in duration, is still currently the largest scale original work in the brass band repertoire.
Cory Band is firmly dedicated to championing and generating new music, to raising the profile of the brass band as a genre, and keeping music live and alive in their home nation of Wales. The band has an active commissioning policy and have commissioned and performed works by many of the UK's leading composers including John McCabe, Judith Bingham, Elgar Howarth, Edward Gregson, Alun Hoddinott, Karl Jenkins, Gareth Wood, David Bedford, and John Pickard.
In 2002 the band were selected to perform in London in celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee celebrations and have performed in many of the world’s finest concert venues including the Grieg Hall, Norway; the Stravinski Hall, Montreux; the Royal Albert Hall, London; Symphony Hall, Birmingham; and the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. In 2003 Cory performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Last Night of the Welsh Proms and were also featured during the opening celebrations of the Wales Millennium Centre.
The Cory Band are recognised as one Wales’s finest and most innovative music ensembles. Their numerous CD recordings and live concert performances have received worldwide acclaim. The band now looks forward to continuing to maintain and develop increasingly high standards of artistic performance and development based activity for many years to come.
Further information on Cory Band and its activities can be found at the band's own website www.coryband.com
In 1920 the band gained championship status and three years later achieved the distinction of performing what is believed to have been the first radio broadcast by a brass band. A significant honour was bestowed on the band in 1976 when they were chosen to represent Wales and the brass band movement on a tour of the USA as part of the bicentennial celebrations there. The band repeated the tour on the 40th anniversary of the visit, last February. Cory has also toured extensively across Europe and toured across Australia in 2013.
Cory's contest successes are legendary. In 1980, Cory became the first band from Wales to win the European Brass Band Champions and in 1984, their centenary year, they won the third in a hat-trick of National Championship of Great Britain titles at London's Royal Albert Hall. During the millennium year they achieved a historic 'double' winning both the British Open and National Championships in the same year, and again made history in taking the British Open Shield home to Wales for the first time in the contest’s 148-year history. This triumph was repeated again in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011 when the band won their second, third, fourth and fifth British Open titles. In 2008 the Cory Band then won the European Championships in Stavanger, Norway, retained the title in 2009 in Oostende, Belgium, and then completed a historic hat-trick in 2010 in Linz, Austria. In 2009 the band also travelled to the World Music Festival held in Kerkrade, the Netherlands, where they won the World Championships, a title they held for 4 years. The success continued in 2014 as Cory Band again became Welsh Champions, as well as the inaugural winner of S4C's Band Cymru TV competition. On top of this it was shortlisted for the St David Awards, presented by Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones to outstanding organisations in Wales, and invited to attend the NATO summit held in Newport in September. In 2015, the band added further to their accolades, becoming again Welsh Regional, Brass In Concert and National Champions of Great Britain. Cory have now been the number one ranked band in the world for ten consecutive years.
In addition to their unprecedented level of success in competition, the Cory Band has also developed musically outside of the contest field. In 2001, together with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Cory were appointed ensemble in residence to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and that same year appointed Dr. John Pickard as their first 'Composer in Residence'. Dr. Pickard’s tenure with the band ended in July 2005 when the band made history giving the première performance of his 'Gaia Symphony' at the prestigious Cheltenham International Festival. The Symphony was broadcast live on Radio 3, and, lasting over an hour in duration, is still currently the largest scale original work in the brass band repertoire.
Cory Band is firmly dedicated to championing and generating new music, to raising the profile of the brass band as a genre, and keeping music live and alive in their home nation of Wales. The band has an active commissioning policy and have commissioned and performed works by many of the UK's leading composers including John McCabe, Judith Bingham, Elgar Howarth, Edward Gregson, Alun Hoddinott, Karl Jenkins, Gareth Wood, David Bedford, and John Pickard.
In 2002 the band were selected to perform in London in celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee celebrations and have performed in many of the world’s finest concert venues including the Grieg Hall, Norway; the Stravinski Hall, Montreux; the Royal Albert Hall, London; Symphony Hall, Birmingham; and the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. In 2003 Cory performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Last Night of the Welsh Proms and were also featured during the opening celebrations of the Wales Millennium Centre.
The Cory Band are recognised as one Wales’s finest and most innovative music ensembles. Their numerous CD recordings and live concert performances have received worldwide acclaim. The band now looks forward to continuing to maintain and develop increasingly high standards of artistic performance and development based activity for many years to come.
Further information on Cory Band and its activities can be found at the band's own website www.coryband.com
The Cory Band will feature, together with 200 voice massed male choir, in the celebratory Brass & Voices concert on Wednesday July 26th. For full event information and repertoire, visit the events section of the website here