The Belshaw Band

The Belshaw Band project has involved a number of players and performances
in a variety of venues (pubs, restaurants, theatres and, on multiple occasions,
at the Bristol Community Festival at Ashton Court).

The line up has always been fluid and has ranged in size from an ensemble of
five players to one of fourteen. Currently the band includes
Simon Belshaw - piano, Mike Daniels - trumpet (Bath Philharmonia,
Gorgeous Big Horns Big Band, Premiere Brass Quintet, Moonrakers Dance Orchestra)
Roz Harding - saxophone (Mike Westbrook, A Quiet Night In, Billie Bottle’s Temple Of Shibboleth),
Julie Hill - violin (Devon Baroque, Clifton Quartet, Devon Amici),
Sarah Lewis - saxophone (Northern Rhythm Big Band, Strictly Saxes Quartet)
Jane Pirie - 'cello (Ensemble Verxel, Orquesta Clasica de Vigo) and Emma Welton - violin (Icebreaker , A Quiet Night In, Exeter Contemporary Sounds).

The band also includes Cheryl Enever - voice (BBC Singers, English touring Opera) for one or two pieces.


The band was formed whilst Simon Belshaw studied at Bath (alongside Mike, Julie, Sarah and Cheryl)
and continued through his postgraduate study with Gavin Bryars at the University of Hertfordshire.
The music has an infectious rhythmic power and you'll hear influences from Bryars, Nyman,
Andriessen, Martland; from Baroque, rock and pop, minimalism and even a touch of jazz.

more images

Fantastic evening! A band with such very talented musicians and they were having such good fun. Encore please!

The Belshaw Band in the music room at Exeter Library last night.
Driving, euphoric and mesmerising compositions combining logical structures and systems with an expressive lyricism and soaring rhythmic trajectory.
Heart and mind in other words. A marvellous evening of hugely engaging music performed by a superb group of musicians,
with Laura Collins' striking collage providing a visually arresting backdrop throughout,
and very evidently enjoyed by the large audience which filled the room.

The fabulous Belshaw Band at Exeter Library this evening. They are inspirational magical music weavers. A truly wonderful concert in the Rougemont Room.


They were amazing. What a triumph!

Entertaining, Different, Enjoyable

Fun Musical Joy

an excellent event

Wonderful, inspirational, uplifting

Excellent concert - such a wonderfully inspiring event

Absolutely inspirational and imaginative - loved it!

please programme more of these captivating events to inspire and engage our communities. An excellent musical and sensory experience

Very, very enjoyable. I loved it.

Really enjoyed it, could have sat listening to it for hours.

Ministry of Music Machine Building

© 2023 Simon Belshaw