Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to play the trumpet
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Community brass bands and adult beginner bands take people who have never played, and some lend you an instrument while you find your feet. A beginner trumpet can be hired by the month, so the first step costs little more than a weekly class.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
What it's really like
Many adults learn the trumpet in a group. The Hounslow Community Brass Band, run by the Watermans arts centre in west London, welcomed complete beginners and players coming back to an instrument, met on Tuesday evenings and gave members the chance to perform in public each term. It kept a small number of instruments to lend free of charge to people without their own.
In the US, New Horizons bands are built for adults starting a band instrument. Baldwin Wallace's band in Ohio says it suits adults who never had the chance to play, as well as people who stopped after school. Eastman's Green Band in Rochester welcomes true beginners, but members bring their own instrument and stand and buy some beginner books.
Once you can play a little, there is more to join. The Glasshouse in Gateshead runs a weekday brass class for adults with some experience, and Morley College in London runs a big band course for brass and other players at about Grade 3 to 4 (UK graded exams, roughly early intermediate).
Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Watermans, Hounslow, west London | Hounslow Community Brass Band, spring term 2025: 10 Tuesday evenings of 90 minutes; complete beginners welcome; first session as a taster; limited free instrument loans | £44 for 10 sessions |
| The Glasshouse, Gateshead | Pathways to Brass, autumn 2025: 10 Wednesday afternoon classes; for adults with some experience; bring your own instrument | £64 for 10 classes |
| Baldwin Wallace Community Arts School, Berea, Ohio | New Horizons Band: Tuesday evenings, 15 September 2026 to 6 May 2027; for adults who have never played as well as returners | $190 a semester or $350 the year, plus a $25 registration fee |
| Eastman Community Music School, Rochester, New York | New Horizons Green Band: Wednesday mornings for a year in two semesters; true beginners welcome; bring your own instrument | $210 a semester (2026-27) |
Dawkes Music listed its Yamaha YTR-2330 B flat trumpet for hire at £20 a month including VAT, with a three-month minimum. The case, mouthpiece, valve oil, slide grease, maintenance and insurance are included, with a £50 excess for loss, theft or damage beyond repair.
How to start
- Find a community brass band or beginner band near you; Brass Bands England's directory lists bands by region, and in the US look for a New Horizons band at a college or community music school.
- Ask whether the group lends instruments; if not, hire a beginner trumpet by the month before you think about buying.
- Go to the first session as a taster if the group allows it, and bring valve oil and a pencil.
Where to go
- Brass Bands England: find a band (UK directory by region) UK
- Watermans: Hounslow Community Brass Band, complete beginners welcome (west London) UK
- Baldwin Wallace Community Arts School: New Horizons Band (Berea, Ohio) US
- Eastman Community Music School: New Horizons Green Band for beginners (Rochester, New York) US
We opened these links on 9 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Can I rent a trumpet instead of buying one?
Yes. Dawkes Music listed a Yamaha beginner trumpet at £20 a month with a three-month minimum, and from month four half of each payment can be credited towards an instrument from them. In the US, the University of Oklahoma's New Horizons band points members to rental schemes at local music shops.
Can a complete beginner join a brass band?
Some bands run groups for exactly that. The Hounslow Community Brass Band welcomed complete beginners, and Brass Bands England's directory lists 668 bands that you can search by region.
Do I need my own trumpet to join a beginner band?
Usually. Eastman's Green Band asks members to bring their own instrument, while the Hounslow band had a few instruments to lend free of charge if you asked before booking.
How much does an adult beginner band cost in the US?
As last listed, $190 a semester at Baldwin Wallace in Ohio, $210 a semester at Eastman in Rochester and a $90 registration fee a semester at the University of Oklahoma's New Horizons band.
Where this comes from: Brass Bands England, Find a band; Watermans, Hounslow Community Brass Band 2025; Watermans, Hounslow Community Brass Band (earlier term); The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Make Music 25/26 Pathways to Brass; Morley College, Big Band Beginners (W26JPMA02A); Baldwin Wallace Community Arts School, New Horizons Band; Eastman Community Music School, New Horizons Green Band; University of Oklahoma, New Horizons Band FAQ; Dawkes Music, Rent a trumpet. Opened 9 November 2026.
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