Formed in 1986, the Burgess Hill Marching Youth is an independent, traditional style youth marching band. The members of BHMY, primarily from Burgess Hill and surrounding villages/towns, are predominantly children and young people supported by adult instructors.
BHMY currently consists of 50+ regular members who receive 2-4 hours of tuition per week in both music and marching. These members regularly take part in a variety of events and performances such as contests, fetes, bonfire processions, massed band events and annual residential trips.
Over the years, members of the Burgess Hill Marching Youth have had the opportunity to perform at a variety of venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Arena here in England as well as performing on tour in Germany, Belgium, Holland and France. More recently, the band has enjoyed performing at the Kingston Borough Band Tattoo, The Burgess Hill Tattoo and the London New Year’s Day Parade. As well as performing as a marching band, the young members have taken part in outdoor pursuit activities as part of an annual weekend camp, have performed together in concert to raise funds and performed as part of the National Massed Bugle Band.
Each year, the members work very hard towards various performance projects which can include a marching display to contemporary or traditional music, concert pieces, ensemble or special groups or even silent drill displays. Through this, members learn skills in music, drill, social skills, teamwork and self discipline, all valuable life skills.
The band is self-funding and therefore actively raises funds through performance and hosting events. However, BHMY is extremely fortunate to have the support of the Burgess Hill District Lions through their ‘Adopt a Youth Group’ scheme.
Since 2010, the band has introduced a full brass section to work alongside the original bugles and percussion. This change to full instrumentation has allowed the band to increase the performance opportunities to include concerts and seasonal performances. The band teaches basic music theory and now has a wide repertoire of music.
Hundreds of young people from the Burgess Hill area and beyond have passed through the Burgess Hill Marching Youth, many of whom state that their band years were the best years of their lives. Some members of the current band are the sons and daughters of ex BHMY members with more children slowly growing old enough to one day follow in their parents or siblings footsteps.
Just going back in time and came across the your site. I was the Deputy Bandmaster of Hough Green Scout & Guide band from the late 70’s to early 90’s and I seem to remember competing against a Scout & Guide band from Burgess Hill. Does your band have any connection the this band ?
Kindest regards.
Bob Heywood ( Ex Hough Green Scout & Gude Band ).
Hi Bob,
Yes, we are band formerly known and Burgess Hill Scout Band. After the Scout band disbanded one of the members, Nigel Buxton took over as bandmaster and founded Burgess Hill Marching Youth in 1986. The other notable band from B. Hill was 2nd Burgess Hill Boys Brigade who were very good also.
You do not name the ex Band Master of Burgess Hill Scout Band !!
I was bugle instructor for the 2nd Waterlooville Scout Band and very friendly with Chris Harmes from the Burgess Hill Scout Band , is he still about ?
Chris brought the band across to Petersfield (. where l live. ). on a few occasions , St George ‘s day parades etc.
Although well retired now , l still keep in touch with a lot of our old band members and like to log into band sites to watch recent progress on some of the bands we used to compete against. ———— Michael Reeves.
Hi Michael,
Chris isn’t actively involved with the band but he still keeps in touch. He came along to a practice a little while back with another previous bandmaster… If your eyesight is good he is in the back row of the first picture… http://bhmy.org/2014/11/27/ex-bandmaster-of-the-burgess-hill-scout-band-visits/
Kindest regards,
Hi Andrew. ——-
Many thanks for that info , glad to hear Chris is still around !!
Please give him my regards when you see him next and tell him l have 2 grandsons , 7 and 4 who l am teaching to play cornet , bugle and Jag Horn — just need a local band to put them in !!!!!!!!!
I also have a 2 year old granddaughter so feel a colour guard starting !!!!!!
Keep up the good work with BHMY .
Regards. —— Michael .
Hi Michael,
What a nice blast from the past!
Nice to see that you are still doing okay. Are you still in the removal business? I finally stopped working in early in 2015 and am now enjoying the freedom to do all the things that I want to do as opposed to sorting out everybody’s else’s problems. We have four grandchildren, our daughter has blessed us with Jos aged 10, Niamh aged 7 and Cara aged 2 and a half, and our eldest son, who lives in Copenhagen, has again blessed us with a son called Leo.
Over the years all the band boys have kept in touch and we meet once a fortnight for a drink as well as playing golf as much as we can. Our drum major, Moby Turner has two of his children in the Burgess Hill Marching Youth so hence the recent contact. Believe it or not, the old boys are practicing hard for a reunion event at Marching Youth’s 30 years celebrations.
It would be nice to catch up at sometime to chew the cud.
Those were the days, back in the 70’s with that double quick march. We, at the 2nd Brighton, couldn’t keep up with you.
Omg i remember playing with u lot and ageist i was the little drummager for waterlooville youth marching band bout 17/18 yrs ago miss them days hope every 1 is keeping well
Staffs Moorlands tymba contest in leek st13
Sunday 18th Sept
Last one I am arranging due to health
Leek contest 18th sept
I think its brilliant that you have such a strong band. Im trying to start one in East Grinstead but not having much luck. Any tips?
School assemblies are a great way to interest kids! If you offer to take an assembly or tutorial period most teachers are only to glad to accept.
Great to know this is local. I was a Drum Major with the Royal Air Force Apprentice Brass Band at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire and really enjoyed the many opportunities to lead the mar hing band including marching to and from the workshops every day and at fetes and events. Spinning the mace was a skill and I had several types includingbine vey short stick with a lead head and a bamboo shaft that I made myself. Earls Court was prestigious but incredibly difficult as the horses had made the ground very uneven. I hope it all ges well for you…
Hi,
I belonged to the 1st Burgess Hill Boy’s Brigade Company (long disbanded) between 1956 and 1964. My brother Allan who had been in a Sea Cadet band became our band instructor. I eventually became the solo bugler. We marched on church parades and led the veterans on Remembrance Sunday. Drummers included Phil Cook and Ron Winslow, Geoff Cox or John Hemsley carried the bass drum and wore a real, though now politically incorrect, leopard skin. My fellow bugler and best friend was David Nightingale (now Parker).
I am now 74.
Fond memories of parading through the streets of Burgess Hill in my teens.
Kind regards,
John Player