A BAND made up of keen musicians will be performing at a concert next weekend in Bicester.

Bicester Concert Band,which was formed in 1996, has been rehearsing on Tuesdays at Kingsmere Community Centre in preparation for their showcase at St Edburg’s Christmas Tree Festival on December 7.

The band which started off as a small group of musicians has grown over the years and is now made up of 37 members.

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It has performed at a variety of events in the town such as Bicester Healthy Town Launch, Bicester Festival, Shelswell History Festival, local fetes and its own concert which it holds twice a year.

New members find it more rewarding if they have enough experience to sight read the group’s easier pieces and master the harder pieces by putting in practice at home.

The band's conductor, Wendy Marks, who is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music, is a talented woodwind teacher, performer and conductor.

She said: “I’ve been conducting BCB for nearly two years now and am really looking forward to the concert on December 7. The band is such a friendly group of people and this year we even have some students from a local school involved, which gives it a real community feel.

“The Christmas trees and lights in St Edburg’s all add to the festive spirit of what will undoubtedly be a lovely evening with a very varied programme of music. We’re always keen to have new members and concerts are an excellent opportunity for prospective members to come and see us in action.”

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The band will perform at St Edburg’s Church from 7.30pm and the programme will not only consist of festive music but also music from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Bert Kaempfert, Star Wars.

Entry is £5 for adults on the door and free of charge for children, and refreshments will be available during the interval.

The festival will see 80 fully decorated and lit Christmas trees on display, all sponsored by residents and local businesses.

It starts at 10am on December 6 and concludes with Carols in the Trees at 6pm on Sunday, December 8.

The band can be contacted via a contact form on their website at www.bicesterconcertband.co.uk.