The Mullingar Town Band was founded in 1879 but can trace it’s roots as far back as the 1840s. The local military barracks supplied many of the early members who themselves were serving members of the British Regimental bands stationed in Mullingar. Many of the members of these bands settled in the town and married locally and joined the band.
The M.C.B. (Mullingar Confraternity Band) remained under the auspices of the Confraternity until the 1940’s when it was handed over to a committee who continued under the title of Mullingar Brass and Reed Band. It was 1957 when band director emeritus, Hubert Magee was handed the baton with just three to four members remaining in the band. From here, Hubert studied and researched banding both nationally and internationally and basing his teaching on the American Band model he eventually turned the band around to achieving a band of over 100 members strong in 1979 – just in time for the bands centenary celebrations.
Under the directorship of Hubert, the band achieved many ‘firsts’ I their history – introducing female membership, the first time travelling abroad, first time winning major national competitions. In 2014, after 57 years of Directorship, Hubert handed over the baton to his daughter, Kim Magee – Band Director and Hubert was bestowed the title of Band Director Emeritus by the committee of Mullingar Town Band.
In Autumn every year, the band enrol new members from the age of eight years old for band and ten years old for colourguard. No music or dance experience is necessary. Enrolment is also open to those who have previous music or dance experience.
Our young beginners start their music tuition in a recorder class which teaches the basics of reading music and playing a wind instrument. Throughout this course, members will have the opportunity to learn about and try out different brass and woodwind instruments. Following this course, these beginners become a junior band class where they begin their tuition on their chosen instrument until they join the marching band. These lessons are managed by Kim Magee – Band Director.
After being a member of the marching band for a time, members are then invited to join the Senior Concert Band.
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