The Harrogate Band's plans to mark its 50th anniversary in 2020 were somewhat derailed by the Covid Pandemic. Howver, five years later, we finally held a celebration concert at St John's Church, Bilton, on Saturday 26th April 2025. Among the audience and attendees were many past members of the Band, most of whom took part in two massed band pieces at the end of the concert.

The first half of the concert included two world-première performances: "The Montpelier March", by Robert Paul Davies, composed for the Band's 50th anniversary, and "Fox", a major concert work by Dr David Lancaster, which was commissioned by the Band in 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary. The name of this piece refers to Samson Fox, a prominent industrialist and former Mayor of Harrogate at the beginning of the 20th century.

In addition, the second half of the concert was given to six of the Band's previous musical directors, who conducted a piece of music of their choice.

Harrogate Band - 55 Years: a photographic tour - is a 220 page PDF document available for download here (just click on the title) with selected images of the band, its members and events over the last 55 years.

Golden Brass - the concert programme:

Bolero - Maurice Ravel
Montpellier March (première) - Robert Paul Davies
Song and Dance - Philip Sparke - cornet soloist, Robert Illsley
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue - Richard Rogers
Attack of the Killer Trombones - Alan Fernie
Sleep - Eric Whitacre
Fox (première) - Dr David Lancaster
Le Tricot Rouge - Wilfred Heaton - conductor Andrew Baker
Come Follow the Band - Cy Coleman - conductor Leigh Baker
Chanson de Matin - Edward Elgar - conductor Peter Littlewood
Serenade - Derek Bourgeois - conductor David Lancaster
MacArthur Park - Jim Webb - conductor Steve Morland
Bombardier - Thomas James Powell - conductor Neil Richmond
Massed Bands: former and current members
The Lost Chord - Sir Arthur Sullivan
Blaze Away - Abraham Holzmann