Perhaps better known originally as a soprano cornet player, I unfortunately had to have some emergency maxillofacial surgery back in 2005 which rather put paid to that, so I now sit comfortably on EEb or BBb Bass – back where I started in 1969! I’m also playing drums occasionally for brass bands on request. Being able to sight read the drum dots is a huge advantage in that department!
My days of performing The Last Post at funerals, church services and for remembrance parades on Armistice Day are over, especially after the 2016 debacle at Cullompton (see photo) after which I’m not sure they would ask me to play again anyway! Not my most clinical performance, shall we say.
WELLINGTON SILVER BAND
I’m a little surprised that I have not mentioned Wellington Silver Band on here before. I first played for them back in the 1980s on soprano cornet for a short period, and have since played with them on many occasions on tuba and drums, and indeed was at one time their Musical Director. That seems such a long time ago! As travelling has put paid to me going to Lympstone Band or Weston Brass, I asked if I could come for a blow with Wellington again as it is the nearest band to me. They said yes, and had a vacancy on BBb Bass, which is where I sat until March 2026 when I applied for the post of Musical Director. I was successful, and look forward to being their conductor for many years to come.
WESTON BRASS
Early in 2024, I decided to resume my brass band playing after several months away from it, and was searching for a band that needed a bass player. I luckily saw that Weston Brass were advertising a vacancy for an EEb Bass player. I applied and have had several happy months performing with the great, friendly bunch of people they are. Sadly, the constant travelling distances became too much for me, and in December 2024 I had to leave the band.
Founded in 1963, Weston Brass are a traditional amateur 1st Section brass band with around 28 regular and enthusiastic players from all walks of life. Brass is their passion and you’ll find them putting on concerts across the South West and taking part in several contests a year with other bands from around the country.
EXETER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
At a symphonic wind band day at St Peters School in Exeter taken by Marion Wood, I was asked if I would consider playing tuba with Exeter Symphony Orchestra. I accepted, and under the direction of the orchestra’s Musical Directors Brian Northcott, and the new MD Arturo Serna, I have now performed works as diverse as Vaughan-Williams Symphony No. 6 in E Minor and Ernest Moeran’s Symphony in G Minor, and popular works including Brahms Academic Festival Overture and Holst’s Second Suite for Military band in F. 2015 saw the orchestra playing the Neruda Trumpet Concerto, Dvorak Symphony No. 8, Elgar’s ‘Cockaigne’ (In London Town), and other works including Morricone’s Gabriel’s Oboe and Vaughan William’s The Lark Ascending, and in 2016 there was a performance of Elgar’s Symphony No. 1. A performance of the Dvorak Cello concerto with Raphael Wallfisch in 2017 was a definite highlight. 2018 saw us playing the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra – something I’d only ever dreamt of playing.
TIVERTON TOWN BAND
I have been involved in various guises with Tiverton Town Band over the years – both as a player on drums or tuba, and as their Musical Director prior to moving to Taunton in 2016. I am hugely grateful to Graham Pillivant and the band for loaning me an Eb Bass after my departure from SW Comms Band (now Lympstone Band), and will happily turn out on percussion or EEb bass for them in the future.
LYMPSTONE BAND
I originally joined Lympstone Band on 2nd horn in 1972. I have enjoyed many years playing with this fabulous brass band, and have since played soprano cornet, percussion and more recently EEb/BBb bass with them. I still guest perform when required. Lympstone Band is what I would affectionately call my ‘home’ in banding.
SIDMOUTH TOWN BAND
I joined Sidmouth Town Band on EEb Bass when I lived in Honiton several years ago, but again, the move to Taunton made this rather a trek for me, so I had to move on. I still happily dep for players on occasion – notably at their summer concert series at Connaught Gardens.
RESONATE BRASS
A spin-off from the Exeter Symphony Orchestra, this a is traditional brass quintet comprising members of the full orchestra which can also perform as a quartet or larger brass ensemble. Resonate Brass can perform at a variety of events, including Christmas carol services, outdoor fundraisers and many more. Add together a wealth of music to choose from, and a very high standard of performance from the members: we guarantee a good show!
EXETER RAILWAY BAND
Guesting on soprano cornet with Exeter Railway Band occasionally, I had the honour to be appointed as their Musical Director in 2004 and enjoyed six years in the post. On leaving, I still maintained contact with band members, especially with my good friend Harry Rossitter, who sadly passed away aged 96 years in 2019. Harry retired from the Essex Police Service before I even joined the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary! The band has enjoyed contesting success since 2016 and I wish them every success in the 3rd Section and onwards in the future.
WIRED
I enjoyed three fabulous years playing my famous yellow Premier Resonator drum kit (now replaced with a beautiful, yet older, red Resonator kit) with Wired – an Exmouth based rock covers band, in the last year of which we performed 50 gigs! The band has been through several personnel changes, and sadly it now appears to have folded.
DEVONPORT NAVAL BASE VOLUNTEER BAND (HMS DRAKE)
I transferred from RNAS Yeovilton to HMS Drake with Charlie Fleming when he was posted there, and in 2000 won the award for ‘Best Royal Navy Drum Major’, adding the best solo instrumentalist prize in 2003 with my rendition of ‘Demelza’ on soprano cornet. I loved my time with the Royal Navy bands. I even had the honour of leading HMS Drake Band in a joint parade with HM Royal Marines Band too!
HMS HERON ROYAL NAVY VOLUNTEER BAND (RNAS YEOVILTON)
Having joined this band in 1998 at the behest of its then Volunteer Band Instructor BDCSGT Charlie Fleming RM, I underwent training both at CTCRM Lympstone and at the Royal Marines School of Music, HMS Nelson to become a Drum Major. My first engagement with the band as its Drum Major was in my home town of Exmouth. No pressure there then!
BRITISH POLICE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Apart from spending 28 years as a policeman in the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, I was a founder member of the British Police Symphony Orchestra (formerly the Police National Orchestra) in 1989 and played at massive venues all over the country and on several national tours as Principal Percussionist, and occasionally as a trumpet player. The orchestra is now recognized as one of the top amateur orchestras in Great Britain, and celebrated it’s 35th anniversary in 2025.
THE BAND OF THE DEVON AND CORNWALL CONSTABULARY
I am immensely proud of my many years service as a uniformed member of the Band of The Devon and Cornwall Constabulary in which I played cornet and percussion. I was also occasionally seen in the Corps of Drums, and frequently in the Fanfare Team. In existence since 1976 but now sadly defunct since being disbanded due to financial constraints in 2004, the band had an enviable reputation with the people of Devon and Cornwall who always gave the band huge support, as well as audiences further afield – notably in Jersey, where the band was equally as popular.
A full marching and concert brass band complete with Corps of Drums, the band shone under the Musical Direction of Keith Whittall RM, who also directed Exmouth Town Concert Band. Keith sadly passed away in 2008 and is sorely missed. Keith was perhaps one of the biggest influences on my musical life.
14-20’s MUSIC & DRAMA SOCIETY (CENTRE STAGE)
I joined what is now Centre Stage of Exmouth aged 13 in 1972 – just missing out on their first ever show ‘Hi Hopes’. I performed on stage in ‘A Country Girl’, ‘Chu Chin Chow’, ‘Calamity Jane’ (Joe the barman), ‘Viva Mexico’ (lead role – Ramon) and also ‘Lucentio’ in ‘Kiss Me Kate’ – my finale so to speak! I loved being part of this society, membership of which brought me out of my shell in my teens and exposed me to a world where my confidence finally abounded. I’m so pleased it is still going strong over 50 years later, and I will support them whenever I can.
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH CHOIR, EXMOUTH
Soon after moving to Exmouth from Beaconsfield with my family in 1971, my family joined the church choir at Holy Trinity Church, where I began to study music under organist and choir mistress Hope Bardrick. Little did I realise it at the time, but this was almost certainly the start of what has occured since in my musical life. Hope enabled me to pass Grade VIII in the Theory of Music with the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music exams at 16 years of age. The significance of this didn’t really occur to me until I was working towards my degree in 2006, and I appeared to be way ahead of the class when it came to harmony issues, and it has certainly been a most relevant factor in my more recent success as a composer/arranger.
