Euphonium Section
Click on name for full profile Band Website I started playing at the age of 9 with Rushden WMC (now Rushden Town) then joined Windmill and also played Solo Euphonium for Rushden Mission Band. Have 2 children Laura and Amy. Husband Kevin plays in Rushden Town and is a good supporter of Boobs and Brass. Favourite hobbies are Reading, Walking and going out with the family. I have completed my FDLT degree and am working towards my BALT.
Rushden Town
Diane started playing Baritone at the age of 11 and at 14 was the Solo Euphonium at Long Eaton Silver Prize Band - receiving lessons from Dr. Keith Wilkinson. As an adult Diane went to play for Nottingham City Transport and from there moved to the Newstead Band. After a break in her playing career she joined Matlock Band on Solo Euphonium and conducted the training band there. After five, happy, years she moved to top section Yorkshire band - Drighlington. However, she is now much more local and sitting on Euphonium at Enderby. Banding highlights include being a member of Y.A.B.B (Young Ambassadors of Great Britain), playing at the Grand Shield, playing at the Yorkshire regional's, playing alongside Brighouse and Rastrick, seeing the children she taught entering solo contests AND, of course.....
playing for Boobs and Brass!Enderby 
Started learning the baritone with Gretton Silver Band aged 8 and was also a founder member of Youth Brass 2000. Spent many happy years with the Leicester Foresters band until a move to Huddersfield to study Music and euphonium under the tutelage of the legendary Geoff Whitham. During her time at Huddersfield Fiona was awarded the Harry Mortimer Brass Student of the Year. 2010 has been a special year for Fiona, winning the Midlands Area coupled with performing at the British Open Championships and the National Finals with the Virtuosi GUS Band. A recent move to the North East has meant a change of band and is happy to have joined the Reg Vardy band on 2nd Euphonium.
The Reg Vardy Band 
Marrianne hails from Dalry, Ayrshire and began playing (cornet) at the age of 11 with the North Ayrshire Youth Band. Quickly changing on to baritone, she progressed through the ranks of the band, onto euphonium. Marrianne is proud to have been a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland for five years, where she finished her stint there on solo euphonium under the guidance of Richard Evans. Whilst in Scotland, Marrianne played with Dalmellington and Riverside Brass.
Aged 21, Maz moved to England to study Band Musicianship at the University of Salford, learning baritone with Peter Christian, and graduating in 1997 with a first class honours degree. Maz has played with a few bands in England including Eccles Borough, Hawk Green Marple, Pemberton Old (Wigan), Besses o’ th’ Barn and Wingates. Maz joined Wire in October 2007 for Pontins contest, and enjoyed the craic so much she decided to stay on!
In August 2007, Marrianne was delighted to go on tour to the USA and Canada with the Young Ambassadors Brass Band of Great Britain. This amazing tour included trips to Niagara Falls, where they were fortunate to go over the Falls in a helicopter, and Toronto – oh and 14 concerts in two weeks with a band who had never played together before! A fantastic experience, not least because of the wonderful people in the band and looking after us over there, Marrianne is saving hard to go back next year!
Marrianne works at the University of Salford as Programme Administrator – Music, where her duties are basically to look after the life cycle of the student (all 600 of them!) from registration through to graduation, with everything in-between! Maz enjoys reading and baking in her spare time (what spare time?!) and her current favourite recipe is Bread and Butter Pudding Muffins!! Marrianne got engaged to Owen (who plays BBb Bass for Wire) in September 2008, and they are busy planning their January 2011 wedding (01/01/11).
Bactiguard Wire Brass
Started playing euphonium at school & have played in Rushden Town Band for 30 years. I also play trombone in a swing band (Mainline Big Band). I am a watercolour artist and photographer as a small part time business. Also enjoy sailing, walking and food!
Rushden Town Raunds Temperance
Frances (Denton)'Skinner started her banding career at Long Eaton Silver Prize Band (when it was still 2nd Section) under the tutelage of Syd Bland. Played 1st baritone under Arthur Marshall for 18months before moving onto the euphonium in 1976 having fallen in love with the sound of Ted Bradley (LESPB) and Trevor Groom. She has been 'headhunted' for every band she has played with (Riddings, Matlock, Hathern, etc.,) including Championship Section bands, and now enjoys 'depping' for various bands as she is able. She was a professional trombone and french horn player until ill-health prevented continuing. (An accident also put paid to her Army Band career.)
Among her 'highlights' are, playing at the Royal Albert Hall in the National Finals; winning 3 prizes at Hardraw Scar contest 2011 and, at last, playing alongside her role model Trevor Groom and the young generation of female euphonium players, Alison Bonnar at the 2011 Boobs and Brass CD recording! The completion of a circle of progression and, hopefully, the end to mysogenism in brass banding !
She has been married to Les Skinner (ex-Ever Ready/Frickley/Desford Eb bass) for 30 years in 2013. Until ill-health curtailed long-distance travel she played with various bands on tour abroad.
She is currently registered with Ratby Mid Band, and enjoying continuing to mentor young/inexperienced/conservertoire/professional players; is completing a booklet of 'Banding Wisdom' in aid of lung health charity: re-starting writing and arranging music, and playing with the Oddfellows, Gresley and, of course, Boobs and Brass for concerts, CDs and contests.
Ratby Mid Band
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