Since 2021, the award-winning Wantage Band has delighted families with its magical Christmas concerts, where live music meets cinema. Featuring the festive masterpiece The Snowman by the late Raymond Briggs, this is an unmissable event for both newcomers and returning fans.
This year, the band will perform six concerts across three locations, so be sure to grab your tickets early!
Concert Dates & Venues
The Beacon – Portway, Wantage, OX12 9BX
- Saturday, 7th December: 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm
The Amey Theatre – Park Road, Abingdon, OX14 1DE
- Sunday, 8th December: 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm
Arlington Arts Centre – Snelsmore Common, Newbury, RG14 3BQ
- Sunday, 15th December: 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm
What to Expect
Sam Wyne, the organiser, explains:
“Our family concerts last an hour. Our talented Musical Director, Chris King, guides the
audience through several festive pieces to get warmed up. After this we turn down the
lights, invite families to get comfy and to enjoy listening to the soundtrack to The
Snowman, performed by the band, in perfect sync with the film on the big screen.”
Each performance also features:
- Andrew McKenna on piano
- Grace Clark performing the iconic Walking in the Air
Accessibility
The band is committed to inclusivity. Sarah Roe, the newly appointed compere, will use Makaton signing to help connect with more families. Sam Wyne adds:
“Our whole ethos at the Wantage Silver Band organisation is ‘access for all’. We feel it’s
important for all young people to have music in their lives and we want every part of our
concerts to be as accessible as possible. We have wanted to add some sort of signing to
our concerts for a while now and we’re so pleased to have Sarah on board.”
Tickets
Tickets start at £10.00 and are available at:
www.wantageband.org/events
Hurry! They have sold 1400 of the 1800 tickets, and two performances are already sold out!
What Audiences Are Saying
- “Myself, my partner and our 3 yr old girl went to the Beacon today to see The Snowman
with music by Wantage Silver Band and I just thought I had to say how great we thought it was. Absolutely brilliant performance from the band who even played ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Into the unknown’ from Frozen 2 which our little girl absolutely loved and hasn’t stopped singing since! Definitely got us into the Christmas spirit! thank you ” - “Just been to the first performance of The Snowman. The musicians are amazing. This
can’t be an amateur band? I’ve been to concerts in many venues around the country and this would stand with any professional performance. Congratulations everyone!” - “I’ve been every year, and can honestly say, each time it just gets better!”
- “The centrepiece was the neatly synchronised production of ‘The Snowman’– greatly
helped by Philip Littlemore’s sympathetic treatment of the Howard Blake score which gave a glow of nostalgia to the adults and an even warm warmer glow of excitement to the youngsters as the tale unfolded before their eyes.
About Wantage Silver Band
The Wantage Silver Band is an amateur brass band organisation based in Wantage, Oxfordshire. With nine bands—including contesting bands, community ensembles, and learner groups—it is one of the largest brass band organisations in the UK. The prestigious Championship Section band competes and performs nationwide, bringing the joy of brass music to audiences far and wide.
The band is a registered charity (No. 1123767) dedicated to making music accessible to all.
Why You Should Attend
Celebrate the season with live music, festive cheer, and the magic of The Snowman. Perfect for all ages, this is the ultimate Christmas event to make memories with your loved ones. Don’t miss it!
