About Us

SJS Music was launched in 2006 and is based in Leyland in the North West of England. The company publishes Brass Band music, some of which has been recorded and broadcast by some of the top ranked bands. SJS specialises in educational music for Training Brass Bands/Wind Bands, including School Bands, Music Centre Bands & Youth Bands, Young Brass/Wind Ensembles, and Young String Ensembles.

All of our educational music has very flexible instrumentation to cater for very small groups up to full ensembles (or even oversize ensembles — provided you have purchased at least one standard set we don’t have any problem with the photocopying of extra parts as needed). The flexibility extends to interchangeable instrumentation — we think we have covered all possible brass/wind and string instrumental combinations, but we also welcome feedback and suggestions if we’ve missed anyone out!

Our scores are written and edited in such a way that it is possible to keep your better players motivated with easy to play but interesting lead parts, whilst at the same time having parts for beginners, so everyone can be involved — ideal for mixed ability groups!
SJS Music is proud of the fact that it’s writing team is made up of practising teachers who have a wealth of first-hand experience in training a wide variety of musical ensembles at all levels.

Editor - Stephen Brodie

Stephen has been involved in Brass Bands since the age of 7 when he first joined Preston Youth Band. From there he went on to play Soprano Cornet for Hoggarths, Brindle (under a young Richard Evans), Mirrlees Works and The East Lancs. Paper Group. As a conductor he has worked successfully with a number of bands across the North of England including Marsden, Pemberton Old, Hesketh Bank & Longridge. In 1976 he became one of the very first students on the new Band Musicianship course at Salford College, qualifying in 1978 with a Double Distinction. Whilst at Salford he studied conducting with Roy Newsome and composition & arranging with Goff Richards. After gaining a B.Ed degree from Manchester University he went on to a teaching career, working as a brass teacher and eventually Head of Music Curriculum Support for Lancashire Schools’ Music Service.

Whilst still at Salford, Stephen began working as a music copyist for Chandos Music & Hallamshire Music — one of the best learning experiences any budding composer/arranger could have. It also led to him being bitten by the publishing bug, which in turn has now resulted in the founding of SJS Music.

Throughout his teaching career, Stephen was always aware of a shortage of usable, quality music suitable for young players, especially when dealing with mixed ability groups of varying size and instrumentation. That is one problem that SJS Music has set out to solve. Fortunately, over a Brass Band & teaching career of some 40 years he has come across a number of like-minded and talented individuals, some of whom have now come together to form the excellent writing team we now have here at SJS. Music.

Pemberton Old Wigan(JJB)Band

SJS Music is proud to be associated with the Pemberton Old Wigan (JJB)Band. They have kindly produced all of the live recordings on our website.

Recording Engineer - James Parkinson
Telephone : +44 (0)7716 267247

Pemberton Old Wigan (JJB) Band hails from the small town of Pemberton in the North West of England, 3 miles from Wigan Town centre, and halfway between Manchester and Liverpool. The band has a long and varied history going back to 1883. Many well known players and conductors have been associated with the band over the years, many commencing their conducting and playing careers at Pemberton. William Rimmer, John Gladney, James Fairhurst, Malcolm Brownbill, Ian Brownbill, Bill Miller, Len and Jack Withington to name but a few. The band is proud of its history and achievements over the years. The band has had its ups and downs, but now is back in the Championship section and holding its own against the cream of brass bands in the UK. At this time the band is directed by Mark Peacock who has led the band to many

successes in the contest field, including the title 1st Section Champion Band of Great Britain 2004.

A more comprehensive history of the band can be found on the band’s website at www.pembertonoldwiganband.co.uk

Services

• I.N.S.E.T. Days - SJS Music is happy to provide a music display for Local Authorities and LEA Music Services for teacher training days and courses. To Book call us on 01257 411236


• High Note Club - Spend £100 in any one transaction (excl. p&p) to become a member of our High Note Club & earn a 15% discount on any purchases for the next 12 months.


• Brass Band Music Taster Sessions - Fed up of spending a fortune on music to find you don’t like it or it doesn’t suit your band? Book one of our Taster Sessions and try out any or all of our music in your own bandroom with NO OBLIGATION!
  (Available for all bands north of Birmingham to south of the Scottish Border. For elsewhere on the UK mainland available if 2 bands in the same locality book sessions on consecutive nights. 3 bands booking attracts a 10% discount for all.) To Book call us on 01257 411236


• Entertainments Contest Score Loan Service - If you are using one of our SJS Music publications in your entertainments contest programme, we are happy to lend you a spare score for the adjudicator, FREE OF CHARGE. We only ask that you pay the return postage to us, and that the score is maintained in a saleable condition, e.g. no markings, no damage. If the score is not saleable thereafter we reserve the right to levy a charge of £5 for the score and to cover our costs.