Boscombe Band of the Salvation Army was formed in 1886 and has been one of the premier brass bands in the Salvation Army throughout their history. Records show that the number in the band has rarely been less than thirty and often many more. Recently, the band has usually numbered around thirty five men and women - who are giving of their time and talent as volunteers. This considerable commitment enables the band to continue to proclaim the christian message through their music.

Being based in Bournemouth, the band has numerous opportunities to for witness outside of their base in the Corps at Boscombe. In addition to providing music for the services each Sunday, groups of bandsmen visit hospitals and homes every Sunday morning throughout the winter months to bring a little bit of cheer and a blessing to those who are able to listen. In the summer months, the band support the Salvation Army's outdoor services in Bournemouth Gardens and also have been performing concerts in the Bournemouth bandstands for over sixty years.

As well as these activities and concerts given in the local area, the band also travel further afield - taking their music to many parts of the United Kingdom as well as overseas tours to Holland, Sweden, the USA and Canada. However, their music - in the form of CDs and other recordings - is heard in many far flung corners of the world.

Throughout their history, the band has been associated with many of the Salvation Army's leading musicians and composers and, for the last few years, the band have been fortunate to have had the leadership of Howard Evans, who lives locally in Weymouth. Howard. who recently gained his Doctorate of Musical Arts, has a well-established musical career as a pianist, a teacher, and as a conductor. As a pianist and as a conductor, Howard has performed at many venues throughout the United Kingdom, and has made regular visits overseas to Canada and the USA as well as to many European countries including Holland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

In May 2000 he was appointed Director of Music for the Salvation Army in the Netherlands and conductor of the Amsterdam Staff Band. During the last few years he has been in demand as a guest conductor for a number of bands, including a Celebrity Brass Band for the new recording of the brass version of Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man, and the Leyland Band at the RNCM Festival of Brass in 2008.