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St. David's Brass is a traditional Subscription Band whose membership is comprised of brass and percussion players from Dalkeith and surrounding areas. St. David's Brass has developed from the previously successful St. David's High School Brass Band which was formed in 1981 by the new brass teacher at the school, John A Dickson.

In 1986 the band entered and won the Scottish Youth Brass Band Championships in its first ever contest appearance with this victory being followed by a broadcast on B.B.C Radio's Best of Youth Brass. Over the following years the band's individuals had a lot of success at various solo and quartet competitions winning many awards. Together with this, many of the band's older players expressed a wish to continue playing in the band and to pass on their valuable knowledge and experience to the bands growing number of younger players.

In 1991 it was decided to let the band compete in the Fourth section of the Scottish Championships and in 1998 the band were Scottish 4th Section Champions. This success was followed by the band competing in the National Finals of Great Britain and gaining a highly creditable sixth position. Also in this year the bands various soloists excelled in competition, with the band's Principal Cornet being awarded the Best Instrumentalist prize at the Carnegie Invitation Contest and the bands school quartet being placed second in the qualifying competition and then being awarded a creditable fifth place at the Scottish Schools final at their first attempt. Also the band's Principal Cornet Player was awarded second place at the qualifying competition.

Lottery funding was successfully applied for and the resulting grant of £65,900 enabled the now Community Band to buy a complete set of new instruments.
In October 1999, the Band, with the help of Midlothian Twinning Association, made a trip to Germany during which it played at three major concerts and also broadcast on both German and Dutch radio.

In the millennium year 2000, the Band entered the annual Forth Valley Contest and was delighted to win the Third Section. Success continued this year when the Band quartet were placed Second at both the qualifying and Finals of the SBBA School Solos & Quartets Contest. This quartet success continued with the bands senior quartet then becoming East of Scotland Quartet Champions in 2001, with the band also coming fourth at the Scottish Championships. 2002 and 2003 saw the band build on their success by gaining third place at the Scottish Championships on both occasions and the award for the highest placed predominantly Youth Band at the 2003 Brass in the Park competition, before 2004 saw the band win the 3rd Section Scottish Title by three clear points.

Under the guidance of Professional Conductor John A Dickson, the Band Committee runs St. David's Brass, St. David's High School Brass Band, St. David's Junior Brass and a Successful Learners class which feeds the next generation of Players into each of the bands.