historic brass on original instruments
Our quartet of stunning original saxhorns by Adolphe Sax (c. 1860-1870)
Visit our "QVC-in-action!" page to listen to Invocazione All'Armonia by Albert, Prince Consort, performed on these instruments
Visit our "QVC-in-action!" page to listen to Invocazione All'Armonia by Albert, Prince Consort, performed on these instruments
Queen Victoria's Consort
BRASS IN MOTION ~ celebrating 200 years of passenger rail
Generously supported by:
The Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway; Continuo Foundation; The Northern Regional Brass Band Trust
live performances:
Friday 29th August 2025: Locomotion, Shildon 11am to 3pm
Saturday 30th August 2025: Hopetown, Darlington 11am to 3pm
Sunday 31st August 2025: Preston Park Museum & Grounds, Stockton 11am to 3pm
further details available on Continuo Connect
click here to see our short film of music celebrating 200 years of the S&DR
The Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway; Continuo Foundation; The Northern Regional Brass Band Trust
live performances:
Friday 29th August 2025: Locomotion, Shildon 11am to 3pm
Saturday 30th August 2025: Hopetown, Darlington 11am to 3pm
Sunday 31st August 2025: Preston Park Museum & Grounds, Stockton 11am to 3pm
further details available on Continuo Connect
click here to see our short film of music celebrating 200 years of the S&DR
Brass Roots: a roundup of QVC's visit to the northeast 2023
If you have enjoyed these films then please consider clicking here to support QVC for £2 (or any other amount)
On a drizzly weekend trip to the Cotes d’Armor, Brittany, at a random stop at a Brocante (really a junk shop), I parted with 55 euros and became the very proud owner of an 1850’s Michaud bass saxhorn in C and B flat.
The first intrepid puffs in the car (waiting longer than that was simply not an option of course) resulted in a beautiful sweet sound, albeit with some of the valves stuck down. I was hooked. I wanted to hear more of this instrument and how it would sound in an ensemble.
The idea was born to form a group using these historical brass gems, playing music from the same period and I therefore called upon my friends Jeremy West, Robert Vanryne and Sue Addison and the embryonic Queen Victoria’s Consort was formed.
What started as the chance find of a single instrument has led to the formation of an ensemble of expert musicians recreating the sound of Victorian brass from instruments which were considered to have no value other than as wall ornaments.
Andy Kershaw
QVC / June 2016
The first intrepid puffs in the car (waiting longer than that was simply not an option of course) resulted in a beautiful sweet sound, albeit with some of the valves stuck down. I was hooked. I wanted to hear more of this instrument and how it would sound in an ensemble.
The idea was born to form a group using these historical brass gems, playing music from the same period and I therefore called upon my friends Jeremy West, Robert Vanryne and Sue Addison and the embryonic Queen Victoria’s Consort was formed.
What started as the chance find of a single instrument has led to the formation of an ensemble of expert musicians recreating the sound of Victorian brass from instruments which were considered to have no value other than as wall ornaments.
Andy Kershaw
QVC / June 2016