About this Event
This special performance by the Berry Hill Silver Band takes place as part of Hilary Lloyd, Very High Frequency. Based in Berry Hill, Forest of Dean, where writer Dennis Potter was born, the band has a long-standing connection to Potter, who briefly played with them as a young man.
Potter set and filmed many of his works in the Forest of Dean, a region whose mining communities and rural, post-industrial character deeply shaped his writing. Potter frequently involved the band in his productions, including A Beast With Two Backs, Cold Lazarus and his early BBC documentary Between Two Rivers (1960).
In the gallery, the Berry Hill Silver Band will perform a programme of traditional marches alongside music from Potter’s works. Staged within a setting inspired by Potter’s fantasy sequences, their repertoire includes classics such as Early One Morning and Soldiers Chorus from Faust (Beast With Two Backs), There Is A Green Hill Far Away (Cold Lazarus), Lily Marlene and We'll Meet Again (Singing Detective).
The Berry Hill Silver Band was founded in 1911 through the merger of a local temperance group and miners from Speedwell Colliery. During the 19th and 20th centuries, brass bands were a common feature of coal mining communities across the UK, with many, such as Berry Hill, participating in union-led galas and demonstrations organised by the National Union of Mineworkers.
About the Berry Hill Silver Band
Berry Hill Silver Band is a welcoming brass band, founded in 1911 and situated in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. The band’s reputation for excellence has led to memorable film and TV appearances, thanks to Dennis Potter, a Berry Hill native. Potter commissioned the band to play in several of his productions, with further appearances including Songs of Praise and Meet the Ancestors, showcasing their talent to a wider audience. Since the 1950s, the Berry Hill Band has enjoyed a series of contest successes and community performances. They have won numerous awards at various contests, including the Gloucestershire Association Contest, the Stroud Contest, and the Severnsound Brass Band Contest
The band now performs a diverse repertoire of music regularly at events throughout the local area. For more information, or to join a rehearsal, visit here.
Access
This event takes place in the gallery. The gallery has low lighting and the performance comprises brass band music. If you have any questions or need assistance with your visit, please feel welcome to contact us at +44 (0) 20 7622 1294 or [email protected]. Read Studio Voltaire's full access information here.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Studio Voltaire, 1A Nelsons Row, London, United Kingdom
GBP 3.00 to GBP 5.00
