History

When Peter came to Durham in 1976 he was keen to join the university orchestra as an oboist. Unfortunately there were twelve oboists auditioning that year, including some studying music, so he was without a group to play in for the first time in quite a few years. At the start of his second year, Peter got in touch with one of his neighbours in Hatfield College, a clarinettist called Steve who practiced regularly, and the two of them started a band.
They began finding others by various means, including a drummer (Tom) from Castle and a trombonist (Nick) from Collingwood and were able to start practising as a group.  Peter got some music from his old school and they scrounged a little money from somewhere and bought a few marches and bits.  
Very democratically, Peter became conductor and Steve 1st clarinet!

There were no auditions for new members, anyone could join.  They practised in the rooms opposite the Library on Palace Green.

Steve and Peter discussed a name for their band.  The format of the group was really a military band, but Durham University Military Band (DUMB) didn't seem to be quite right, so they settled for Concert Band instead.  In June 1978 they performed on Palace Green one afternoon for the first time.

In 1978/9 they were able to have a stand for the Freshers' Fair and gained quite a few members.  In Peter’s final summer they used Castle's Hall for their first proper concert and had fun on Palace Green again.  To try to ensure that the band continued, they attached themselves to the Music Society and appointed an assistant conductor to take over from Peter for the following year; his name was Eric. 

Since the founding group left, Durham University Concert Band has continued to grow and flourish and we are proud of all we have achieved and continue to achieve to this day.