Brass Bands on the Record

The dust is settling on the 2023 British Open Championship, and the cheers and songs from the delighted members of Foden’s Band have just about faded away. The band, already the reigning National and North West Regional champion, claimed its first British Open title since 2012, on Thierry Deleruyelle’s Sand and Stars. It was also a first for conductor Russell Gray, as he claimed his first Open win...

On the weekend bands and audiences are descending on Birmingham for the 2023 British Open Championship, celebrations are in order for a prominent Scottish figure in the banding scene. John Boax will be honoured with the Mortimer Medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians for his work in fostering new generations of brass band players. It's alongside Gavin Higgins, who will receive the Iles Medal...

Welcome to a new podcast series called Brass Bands: On the Record! It features a familiar voice (Mark Good) and a fresh face, in Lillie McCluskie. The pair begin the new series by chatting to Brett Baker, principal trombone of the Black Dyke Band. Brett reflects on his lengthy tenure at the band, looks at contesting successes and discusses performing everywhere from Glastonbury to Bermuda with the...

Chief executive officer of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, Mark Bromley, chats to British Bandsman editor, Mark Good. The Youth Band is in the midst of its Easter course at Harrogate Ladies’ College and is busy preparing for a concert on Saturday, April 16, in Huddersfield Town, where it will perform under the baton of guest conductor, Irene Anda, along with the wonderful trombone...

Chief executive officer of Brass Bands England, Kenny Crookston, looks ahead to the 2022 European Brass Band Festival, as the prestigious event rapidly approaches. He discusses planning for the festival while facing the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, and explains how this year’s festival, in Birmingham, is taking shape. Kenny also looks back on his own banding career, from following in the fo...

Composer, conductor, orchestral arranger and session musician, Simon Dobson discusses hearing his trombone concerto Shift performed by the London Symphony Orchestra’s principal trombonist, Peter Moore, and Tredegar Band at the 2022 RNCM Brass Band Festival in Manchester. He also reflects on his musical roots, from growing up in banding to his early thoughts about how music was constructed and how...

Freelance performer, conductor, educator and adjudicator, Bryan Allen has enjoyed a long and distinguished musical career, from travelling the world with celebrated chamber group Fine Arts Brass to staging the Brass Explosion festivals in Birmingham and guiding the next generation during his tenure as head of brass at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The 63-year-old was recently diagnosed with...

Having been raised in a Scottish mining town with a rich banding tradition, it might be fair to assume that composer, arranger, conductor and educator, Alan Fernie, fell in love with brass from the beginning – but that isn’t strictly the case, as he explains. Eventually, though, Alan did catch the bug and has gone on to enjoy a diverse and fascinating career in the world of music, from nurturing t...

Tuba star and general and artistic director of River City Brass Band, James Gourlay discusses River City Brass Band's upcoming composer competition, and has all the details on how to get involved. Speaking from his office in the band's bustling headquarters, he also looks at how the connection to the American organisation came about and its transformation over the past few years. James reflects on...

Director of music at Amersham Band, Paul Fisher, discusses the Buckinghamshire organisation’s transformation of recent years. From raising £500,000 to build its impressive new bandhall to expanding into a multi-level, musical powerhouse, Paul lifts the lid on the band’s journey of recent years. He also discusses some of the things Amersham does slightly differently in an effort to recruit and reta...

Conductor Russell Gray and cornet player extraordinaire, Mark Wilkinson, look back on an impressive performance and victory for Foden’s Band at the 2021 National Brass Band Championship of Great Britain in London’s Royal Albert Hall. The pair reflect on the band's performance of Bruce Broughton’s Heroes and the preparation of the piece, including the successful working relationship between the ban...

Multi-Emmy winning composer, Bruce Broughton, composer of Heroes, the set test-piece for the 2021 National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, chats to British Bandsman editor, Mark Good. Bruce, who’s 76, is a renowned composer in the world of film and television; you might have heard his work featuring in everything from Silverado to Tombstone, The Rescuers Down Under and Miracle on 34th S...

Nicóla Shaw, the newly-appointed flugel player with The Fairey Band, discusses settling into her new surroundings and the positivity around the stand as Faireys prepares to hit the ground running. She also looks back on a lengthy spell with Wingates, charting her progress from back row to her treasured flugel seat. Nicóla chooses her Piece of the Podcast and discusses her banding journey, from bei...

Jonathan Bates, principal horn of Foden’s Band and a member of the A4 Brass Quartet, discusses the quartet’s second studio album, Mosaic , which is out now, and looks back on the ensemble’s humble beginnings which came when the players were all first year students at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Jonny also discusses his own musical journey, from growing up in a banding family...

Mark Good chats to Helen Williams, flugelhorn player with the number one ranked band in the world, the Cory Band. Helen looks back on a historic victory with Marple Band, 25 years ago at the British Open Championship at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. She became the first – and so far, only – female principal cornet player to take the title, as well as the prize for best instrumentalist. Helen...

British Bandsman editor Mark Good chats to Jim Hayes, a Geneva artist and the principal cornet player with the cooperation band. Jim recently released his latest solo album, Jonny Midnight – The Edge of Forever so chats about the release and the creative process involved in bringing the project together. He also reflects on his musical career to date, from being left a battered old instrument as a...

Mark Good looks back at the 2021 Best of Brass Festival, which took place at the Victoria Theatre, Halifax, and was streamed via BrassPass.tv . The one-day festival showcased high quality brass music making from Black Dyke, cornet soloist Tom Hutchinson, Hammonds and Wingates bands, along with the JSVB Legacy Ensemble. The day featured a range of world premieres and saw everyone involved adhering...

UniBrass Foundation trustee Abi Groocock and organising committee chair, Voirrey Baker, discuss how plans are taking shape for the 2021 UniBrass Contest, which is taking place in Sheffield on June 26. In a ‘first’ for brass band contesting, the competition will run in a hybrid format, featuring a mixture of in-person and pre-recorded performances. Abi and Voirrey reflect on the challenges faced by...

Since trumpet soloist Matilda Lloyd burst on to the scene with successes in the BBC Young Musician of the Year brass final and what was then the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Awards, she has cemented her reputation as one of the outstanding performers of her generation. Now 25, she’s combining her busy solo career with studies in Malmo with trumpet legend, Håkan Hardenberger. Matilda looks back on her m...

Elland Silver Youth Band’s inspirational musical director, Samantha Harrison, joins British Bandsman editor, Mark Good. From its formation, the band has grown into a hugely successful multi-level setup, enjoying a host of competition wins including national and European titles. Sam reflects on some of the highlights so far and discusses how the organisation is planning for a brighter banding futur...

Bass trombonist, Adrian Hirst, who discusses a fundraising project he’s undertaking along with his daughter, Amy. Support the pair at the Prostate Cancer UK website . Adrian also discusses spending around a quarter of a century underpinning the trombone section of Black Dyke, where he enjoyed a huge amount of success and travelled all over the world. He discusses the motorcycle accident in 2017 wh...

British Bandsman editor Mark Good hears from band manager and long-serving principal cornet player of Foden’s Band, Mark Wilkinson, following the news that the Sandbach organisation is to receive another financial boost, this time from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Cornetist Mark discusses how the band plans to make use of the funding and looks ahead to the Whit Friday Online Brass Band Championship,...

Dutch euphonium star and Besson artist, Robbert Vos, discusses his recent decision to step down as musical director of Brass Band Schoonhoven. Robbert speaks honestly about the health of the Dutch banding scene and dares to look to the future, as bands begin to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. He also charts his musical roots, which have seen him grow into the renowned performer he is today.

Cory Band musical director Philip Harper discusses the 2021 Kapitol Cory Online Brass Band Championship, which is welcoming bands from around the world. He also reflects on news that he’s to receive the prestigious Iles Medal and looks at the star-studded list of recipients of that award. Philip discusses the effects of the pandemic on the brass band world and speaks honestly about its implication...

John Barber joins British Bandsman editor Mark Good to reflect on 25 years as the principal trombonist of Foden’s Band. John takes us back in time to his first rehearsal with the Sandbach organisation and looks back on his favourite moments with the band, from contest successes to unforgettable performances at the Royal Northern College of Music Brass Band Festival – and even a rather sticky situa...