Quantitative Analysis of the Number of Members and Modern Challenges of Senj’s Brass Band Cover Image

Kvantitativna analiza broja članova i moderni izazovi Gradske glazbe Senj
Quantitative Analysis of the Number of Members and Modern Challenges of Senj’s Brass Band

Author(s): Bruno Rukavina, Karlo Rukavina
Subject(s): Music, Local History / Microhistory, History of Art
Published by: Senjsko muzejsko društvo i Gradski muzej Senj
Keywords: Senj; Senj’s Brass Band; musical societies;

Summary/Abstract: In 2022, Senj’s Brass Band celebrated its 180th anniversary, and we can rank it amongst the oldest musical societies in Croatian history. During its long existence, the Brass Band of Senj has actively participated in the cultural and artistic life of the town of Senj – at all ceremonies, parties and artistic performances in Senj, as well as in the surrounding area. It has survived five major changes in state structures (the Habsburg Monarchy, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, the Independent State of Croatia, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia) and various regional and local crises, and today it faces modern challenges that threaten its existence and active work in the town’s community. Through a quantitative analysis, the paper determines the movement of the number of musicians during the activities of Senj’s Brass Band, and by using a SWOT analysis, the ways in which it struggles with modern challenges. It has its strengths in instruments, equipment, sheet music, its tradition, its historical activity and the very motivation of its members, but also weaknesses – the lack of musicians and the shortcomings of the premises where the ensemble is currently located. Threats such as financial challenges and the pandemic caused by the coronavirus have prevented the active operation of the band in the past few years, but they have not completely extinguished the music society. In the end, Senj’s Brass Band has many opportunities with which it could improve its activities and thus reduce the negative impact of modern challenges on its work – from increasing cooperation with other similar music societies and the elementary music school in Senj, then by popularising the band using digital media and then to relocating the ensemble to new premises.

  • Issue Year: 49/2022
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 365-390
  • Page Count: 26
  • Language: Croatian