Tribute to Peter Stevens - joint architect of Shipston band’s meteoric rise

FORMER Shipston Town Band conductor Peter Stevens sadly passed away in August aged 88 after a short illness, writes David Birch.

He and his wife Sylvia had moved to a care home near Cirencester to be near to their son Jon.

There was a cremation attended by close family followed by a gathering of appreciation for friends and family on Saturday. Everything was simple with no fuss which was as Peter had requested.

Peter joined Shipston Band in 1973 when he made a chance remark when we were working for a local charity. He told me how he used to play cornet with Crystal Palace. Shipston Band was short of solo cornets so a cornet was delivered and in just over two weeks he was filling the missing spot on 4th solo cornet.

This was an exciting time under long-serving conductor Bert Smith with a number of contest successes and our first ever radio broadcast on Radio Birmingham.

After the death of Bert the band entered a new era when we appointed the experienced Welsh conductor Richard Nash. There was a roller-coaster of contest success both locally and nationally, prestigious concerts, including visits to Wales and the beginning of a series of Christmas concerts at Warwick Castle.

The band needed a resident conductor to lead the band when Richard was unavailable. Peter filled the void and proved an extremely capable assistant leading the band to numerous contest successes in his own right including the Leamington contest in 1981.

His ability as an arranger also proved invaluable. When Richard retired Peter decided to stand aside also. Their dual stewardship had seen a meteoric rise in the band’s fortunes from an average 4th section band to a highly capable 2nd section band which the town could be proud of. Peter maintained his links with the band returning for special concerts.

On retiring and moving to North Wales, Peter returned to conducting with the Abergynolwen Band and enjoyed a successful time there.