About GMP

The Greater Manchester Police Band came about as a result of a fiasco. The Manchester City Police Band as it was then known was hired to play at the funeral of a policeman who was killed on duty in the 1870's, and it played so badly that it prompted musicians within the City Police to form their own.

In 1968 the band became the Manchester and Salford Police Band, and with the amalgamation of Police forces, in 1974, it was again renamed as the Greater Manchester Police Band. The musicians comprise of serving and retired police officers, support staff from the police and civilian members of the community, which boasts to be one of the best wind bands in the North West. All the players are volunteers and give up their spare time to be part of the band.

As well as the wind band, the GMP band has an 18 piece "big band", playing music by Glenn Miller and the swing era, also the Ceremonial Trumpeters play regularly at civic functions and high profile engagements.

The current Director of Music of the band is Geoff Williams ARCM, BBCM, who prior to joining the police served for 18 years in professional army music. Geoff joined The Kings Regiment as their principal cornet/trumpet player in 1977 and later was selected to undergo training at The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall as a student bandmaster. To contact Geoff please contact 0161 856 4747 or send a message to the Police Band.

On completion of the three year course Geoff was then appointed as the bandmaster to the regimental band of The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), up to his retirement in 1994. It was in 1995 when Geoff joined Greater Manchester police as a full time police officer.

The below are links to samples of music taken from the recently recorded GMP Band CD. The Cd contains 14 tracks and contains a cross section of traditional marches, compilations from Lerner and Loewe / Andrew Lloyd Webber, and 3 tracks from the recently formed GMP Big Band.

This is the first recording of the present band for some time and has received favourable reviews. Cd's are available to purchase at a cost of £10.

Big Band Music Samples

The Phantom of the Opera

I've Got You Under My Skin

Sway