Meet the Band!

Our players come from a wide range of backgrounds and musical abilities.  From retired professional musicians looking to keep playing and enjoying their music, music teachers who like to keep their own musical skills up and enjoy playing music rather than just teaching it as well as a number of young people who learned their instruments at school and wanted to keep playing once they were no longer part of the education system.  Don’t be put off by the level of some of these players though, the majority of our band are from everyday walks of life who just enjoy playing music.

The woodwind section

Our talented woodwind players include our flotists, clarinetists and other instruments of the family.  They come from all walks of life and have a wide range of ability - proving that playing music is for anyone and everyone.

Our Musical Director

Our Musical Director is Alan Friel.  Alan has many years of musical experience and is himself a very accomplished trumpet player.  Alan has been instrumental (pardon the pun!) in the band’s ongoing successes at the Regional and National Concert Band Festivals.  

The sax players

One of the key differences between us and the brass band is the addition of the saxophone.  This lends itself superbly to playing more jazz-orientated and contemporary music such as big band favourites. 

One of our players only started playing during lockdown and is now a highly competent integral part of the section!

The lower brass (trombones and tubas)

These are the real powerhouse of the band.  The bass players give the band the drive and the beat together with the trombones.  No real music is complete without that bottom end vibe!

And finally there is the percussion section……..

they just like hitting stuff!