‘The Volunteer’ is a brass band march composed for the British Bandsman March Composition Contest. The music was the winning entry of the competition and is composed in dedication to the many volunteers who work tirelessly to make the Whit Friday March Contests possible.

Following their conception in the latter part of the 19th century, the combined groups of march contests in Tameside and Saddleworth soon became one of the most important and celebrated events in the brass band calendar. Commonly known by enthusiasts as ‘The Greatest Free Show on Earth’, the group of contests, coinciding with the annual Whit Walks, draw thousands of spectators each year and are a significant aspect of Northern England’s cultural heritage.

The work is written with upper section bands in mind and aims be a complete showcase for a band’s contest performance. In doing so, the music follows the form and style of contest marches popularised by great march composers George Allan, Thomas “T. J.” Powell and William Rimmer.

A5 size march cards have been provided in addition to standard A4 parts to facilitate performance in both a concert and contest setting. Supplementary percussion parts are provided but are marked as optional in keeping with competition rules at Whit Friday.