History

Established in 1988 under the direction of founding Music Director William Rollins, the NEBB performed throughout New England, including concerts at Boston University’s Tsai Performance Center and Crane’s Castle Estate in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The NEBB also participated in the Northeast Brass Band championships at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.

From 1998 to spring 2008, the band thrived under the leadership of Music Director Douglas Yeo, broadening its activities to include concerts at Symphony Hall in Boston as well as performances in New York City and New Jersey. During Yeo’s tenure, the NEBB recorded 5 CDs (Christmas Joy! {1999. sold out}, Honour and Glory {2000-2001, sold out}, The Light of the World {2003-2004}, This is Christmas {2005, sold out}, and Be Glad Them America {2006-2007}), all of which were recorded at the historic Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.  In addition, the NEBB participated multiple times at the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) annual championship competitions winning first place in the Challenge Section in 2004 (Charleston, WV) and first place in the Honors Section in 2006 (Louisville, KY).

Commencing in the fall of 2008, the NEBB began a 13-year period under the guidance of the distinguished Stephen Bulla, former chief arranger for the ‘President’s Own’ U.S. Marine Band. Under Bulla’s leadership, the band’s calendar expanded annually to concert venues across New England.  During Bulla’s tenure, the NEBB recorded 3 CDs (In Concert {2008-2009}, Christmas Around the World {2012-2013}, and Music of New England {2018}).  Bulla also led the band in multiple NABBA annual championship competitions leading to a strong runner-up finish in 2016 (Fort Wayne, IN) in the 2nd Division.  Bulla also accompanied many of the members in NABBA’s individual competitions.

In September 2021, the NEBB entered a new era as we welcomed our former principal cornet, Terry Everson as Musical Director. Everson, an internationally renowned trumpet soloist and resides on the Boston University Brass Faculty, significantly contributed to helping transition the band during and after the difficult COVID period of time.  During Everson’s tenure, the band enjoyed playing at new venues, including Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the Shalin Lieu Performance Center in Rockport, Massachusetts. 

September 2023 introduced Mark Olson as the NEBB’s Musical Director. Olson, Director of Harvard Band and Wind Ensemble in Cambridge, Massachusetts, continues to strengthen the band’s education by participating in the annual Mid-Atlantic Brass Band Festival (MABBF) in Glassboro, New Jersey.  At MABBF, the band has worked with world-renowned clinicians, including composer Tom Davoren, internationally acclaimed “The Voice of the Tenor Horn’ Sheona White, and Tom Hutchinson, the principal cornetist of the Black Dyke Band (West Yorkshire, England).

Over the years, the NEBB continues its tradition of community giving and musical inspiration. This has included contributing over $4,500 to the worldwide Brass Band Aid fundraising effort to build a school in Adet, Ethiopia.  During the 2007 – 2008 Season, the band donated 10% of proceeds from sales of its CD ‘Be Glad Then America’ to Home For Our Troops, an organization that raises funds to build housing for severely disabled veterans. Since then, the NEBB has continued to perform gratis fundraising concerts at a number of venues including the Wilmington Congregational Church, the Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center in Boston (for the Salvation Army), and at several schools in low/moderate income communities throughout Massachusetts.