Bands bid farewell to some but hello to others
A NUMBER of bands have found themselves minus some players as a result of the pandemic, players leaving for university and graduates leaving university and finding employment in different parts of the country and even abroad.
The City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) is no different and has welcomed four new players. Matthew Snaith is a new student at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and he joins the cornet section having been the Assistant Principal Cornet of the Championship NASUWT Riverside Band. He has taken the place of Bethany Sullivan who is moving to Germany to study.
Another student of the RWCMD Jake Haygarth has joined the band and will be on 1st horn replacing Chris Turnbull who has moved to the north east of England to work. Meg Giles has left to join Cory Band and her place has been taken on 2nd horn by Theo Powell.
A former player, Dominic Gardner has re-joined the band on Solo Trombone to replace Neil Brownless, who has returned to Northampton having completed his RWCMD postgraduate degree in conducting.
Dominic will still be playing with the Bristol University Brass Band whilst combining his time with City of Cardiff M1 Band.
Neil Brownless, who has also been conducting the City of Cardiff M4, has been nominated for the prestigious Making Music Awards in the category for Best Music Creator for Leisure Time Music Groups.
The awards celebrate the work and committment of leisure time music, and all too often, the unrecognised talent that helps music to prosper across the UK.
The award winners will be announced by Making Music President, Debbie Wiseman OBE. Neil told 4BR: “I am very happy to be nominated for my piece Keep the Rhythm Going which I wrote to be performed virtually last year and which is now available for both brass and wind bands.”
(Thanks to 4barsrest)