History

Rangiora RSA Club Brass

Rangiora Brass Band was first formed on Friday the 22nd of November 1878. A meeting to establish the Band was held at the Junction Hotel on High Street Rangiora. The meeting was chaired by Mr H Blackett. A committee was established consisting of Mr G Cone, Mr H Burt, Mr E Hammond, Mr T White, Mr C Merton, Mr C Jennings. 

Interestingly Blackett, Cone, White, Jennings and Burt are all well known Rangiora Street names. A sum of 10 pounds was raised by the first committee to purchase instruments. 

The band has continued to operate continuously to this day. In 1907 the band became an incorporated society. While members served in both world wars the band managed to keep operating through those turbulent years. 

Over the years the band has moved between grades and won both National and Provincial contest reaching the B grade at one point. Rangiora Brass Band is a member of the Brass Band Association of New Zealand and competes regularly at National and provincial contests.

Recently the band was promoted to the C Grade for contesting. 

Canterbury Brass

Canterbury Brass was formed in 1998 with the amalgamation of two much older bands - The Woolston Working Men's Club Silver Band and the Band of the 2nd Battalion Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast, together with a number of unattached players. The Club Band was formed in 1968 and had a successful existence. This band was joined in 1984 by Derry's Brass Band, which had been formed in the early 1890s and had at times competed creditably in the "A" Grade. The history of the 2nd Battalion Band is more extensive and dates back to 1912. 

A new future together

In December 2022 the two bands amalgamated under the name Rangiora RSA Club Brass Band. 

The band today is strong in numbers, has its own band room situated on Council reserve land at the Northbrook Studios, a full set of top class instruments with matching percussion gear, and a fantastic sponsorship from the Rangiora RSA Club.