In English

Uusikaupunki Voluntary Fire Brigade Wind Band

The Uusikaupunki Voluntary Fire Brigade Wind Band was established in 1880 so in 2010 we celebrated our 130th year of musical activity.

This band is one of the oldest (third oldest, obviously) ones in Finland, still active fire brigade bands.

First instruments (9 pieces, some of these still left) were ordered from Germany and in 1881 there were 7 players in the band and they had 45 performances that year. Nowadays there are abt. 20 players in the band.

During the first years there was also a choir belonging to this band.

In the 1970s and 1980s was also a big band established and it worked some years, consisting of mostly the same players and conductor than brass band.

Regular rehearsals are held in Tuesday evenings for the wind band and a junior band ONE has rehearsals in the Monday evenings. A smaller 7 player band has rehearsals before the large band. It has also old arrangements originally made by the first conductors.

Wind band has regular performances like on 1st of May marching to the Fire Brigade’s summer place outside the town center. Annually there are abt. 20-30 performances by the band in different occasions. Music style is consisting of marches, concert pieces and also dance music. There are also some songs in the band’s repertoire, sang by the members of the band.

Wind band has made two recordings, first in year 2000 named "Torvet tulessa" (CD and cassette), and in year 2007 a CD consisting of music composed by a famous Finnish composer Usko Kemppi who lived in Uusikaupunki between the years 1921-28.

First recording can still be bought from contact persons and the second can be bought in Uusikaupunki from contact persons of the brass band, Town Culture Center, INFO book store and FotoMika photo shop.

Wind band has been travelling quite a lot. It has visited many sister towns of Uusikaupunki in different countries like Sandefjord in Norway, Haderslev in Denmark, Varberg in Sweden, Novgorod in Russia and Szentendre in Hungary. A couple of years ago band visited Latvia, performing there in Riga and Jurmala. Also Vilnius in Lithuania and Tarto and Saarenmaa in Estonia have been visited by the band. Year 2009 band visited Germany a town called Wipperfurth.

130 year anniversary happening in 2010.

Celebration concerts and parades were held in 19th of June in Uusikaupunki at the market square. Event started 10 o'clock

Back to the Departments page