Musical Directors
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John started playing the cornet at the age of 11 in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. At 14 he was principal cornet with Wakefield Schools Band and a year later became leader and Principal Cornet with Yorkshire Schools Band. In 1976 he joined Grimethorpe Colliery Band where he enjoyed playing concerts in the UK and as far afield as Australia. More recently John was Principal Cornet with Virtuosi (GUS) Band and has enjoyed conducting bands up and down the country with some success
Derek began playing the cornet at the age of 10. On entrance to Myers Grove Comprehensive School he became a member of the school band and subsequently the City of Sheffield Youth Brass Band. Further invitations followed, including the Yorkshire Youth Brass Band and the Sheffield Recreation Band. Members of Derek's family had had associations with the ‘Sheffield Rec’ (as they were fondly know) for many years and when at the age of 13 he was accepted into the band, it was a dream come true. Derek worked his way through the ranks to become principal cornet of the Sheffield Recreation Band at the age of 16…however the name had now been changed to the City of Sheffield Band. It was during this time that Derek accepted an invitation to join the famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band and play amongst some of the finest players in the country. However, living away from home as a teenager took its toll and Derek returned to the end chair back at Sheffield, a position he held for 11 years. During this time, Derek turned down several opportunities to move back into Championship banding in order to establish himself as a principal player. In 1983 however, Derek felt the need for change and accepted a call from Rockingham Colliery Band to fill the vacant principal chair. During the next twelve months, the band enjoyed four contest wins and Derek was twice awarded ‘Best Instrumentalist’ along with a most successful tour in Germany.
1984 was to be a major step in Derek's ‘banding career’ when he made the move to the Yorkshire Imperial Metals Band. Working under the direction of such musicians as Ray Farr, Major Peter Parkes, Geoffrey Brand and James Scott had an enormous influence on Derek's musical career and it was around this time that he seriously moved into conducting…whilst still playing with the band! During his five years with the band, he enjoyed success on cornet, flugel horn and finally solo horn and travelled extensively around Europe appearing on Radio, TV and numerous recordings. In 1990 he fulfilled his lifelong ambition and joined the world famous Black Dyke Mills Band playing amongst the ranks of Phillip McCann and such like.
Over the years the Stocksbridge Band (formerly City of Sheffield, Quaker Sutherland and Andrews Heat For Hire) had grown from strength to strength and when during a break from playing he was asked to return to the band, he willingly accepted. His conducting career had already taken off, having directed the Oughtibridge Band, Holme Silver Band and Stannington Band when in 1998 he accepted the position of Musical Director to the Stocksbridge Band. During this time, Derek had enjoyed many contest wins but none sweeter than the 1st Section Area competitions in Yorkshire on two consecutive occasions. However, the ultimate prize was directing the band to win the National Championships of Great Britain (1st Section) and put the band back in their rightful home of the Championship Section! Derek is a founder member of the Harlequin Brass Ensemble however currently plays with a relatively new ensemble called The Brass Players. He is currently the MD of The Stannington Band in Sheffield which has recently been promoted to the Championship Section!City of Sheffield
Adele comes from Ferrybridge in West Yorkshire, where she has a family background in music. Adele started playing the cornet at the age of 8 - joining Wakefield Schools Brass Band and as a founder member of the Wakefield Metropolitan Band in 1977. In 1982, Adele became a member of the National Youth Brass Band. However in 1984, Adele switched to trumpet and played for Wakefield Youth Orchestra and the City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra. From 1986-1990, Adele studied at the Royal Northern College of Music on the Graduate Diploma Course. After completing her teacher training in North London in 1991, Adele joined Northamptonshire Music & Performing Arts Service. Adele first received public recognition as conductor with the Northamptonshire County Training Wind Band and as conductor of the Northamptonshire County Youth Concert Band. In 2000, Adele became conductor of Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band and has competed regularly at the National Youth Brass Band Championships and the National Festival. Adele conducted Towcester Studio Band from 1999 - 2005 - until she 'took-a-break' due to work and family commitments. 'Boobs and Brass' were delighted to tempt her out of retirement (!) for our charity concert. Unfortunately, in December 2006, she decided that because of her work and family she would be unable to commit to the band on a regular basis. Naturally, we shall always be grateful to Adele for her hard work in leading the band at our hugely successful concert in Kettering in September 2006.
Betty Anderson comes from a family with a background of over 100 years in the Brass Band movement - having followed in the footsteps of her father and grandfather as a tenor horn player. A soloist from the age of 8 and a conductor from the age of 14 - success in both fields resulted in her winning the tenor horn championship of Great Britain on two occasions. She became the first woman to conduct in the long history of the British Open Championships - having taken the Ratby Band from the Fourth to the Championship section in less than 6 years. This was all the more rewarding as 13 of the players had come from the Junior Band that Betty had started only 5 years earlier. During her long career, one of her main interests has always been the teaching and encouragement of young players, and for many years she has been on the council of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. In 2002, Betty was awarded the Harry Mortimer medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians for her contribution to the Brass Band movement. With credentials like these Boobs and Brass were delighted when Betty agreed to conduct us at our SECOND annual concert in October 2007.
Peter conducted the first Crazy Hats concert in 2007 and the Halifax concert in 2009. He started his playing career at the age of 7 and has played principal cornet for Wigston, Kibworth and Harborough Bands. 6 years ago he decided to take up the baton at Rushden Town Band which he is thoroughly enjoying. His wife, Marion, is a horn player with Boobs & Brass & he helps as a "roadie" whenever needed!Rushden Town Band
Jonathan Mott was Musical Director of 'Boobs & Brass' at our very successful first atttempt at the Whit Friday Marches in 2007...and so, by definition, has become an Honorary Boob! Jonathan started playing the cornet at the age 7, following his father, grandfather and great grandfather into banding. His early playing, and indeed conducting, experience all came within the Salvation Army. In 1992, he left Kettering SA Band and subsequently played with William Davis Construction Group Band, NSK RHP Ransome Band and Travelsphere Holidays (GUS) Band. As a player he has worked with many of the leading brass band conductors of our time and his playing experience has involved many high profile competitions, concerts, overseas tours, numerous broadcasts (TV & Radio) and several CD recordings.Enderby Band
MD for Boobs & Brass on the first day of
recording their new CD
ARCM, LDBBA (Cert) PFS,AFPC. Member NABBC, ABBA. & BFBB approved adjudicator.Most of Stephen’s first class playing was as a professional trombonist in Military Bands, Big Bands and Orchestras. He is a former member of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards Band and has toured extensively through mainland Europe, Canada and the USA. He lived in Germany for 5 years serving with his band and was a regular player for several German Orchestras and taught regularly in British Army Education Service in Osnabruck.
After returning to the UK he played for the highly successful Leyland Daf Band before deciding to pursue his conducting ambitions. He retired formally from playing in 1985 and his last proper playing job was with the Brighouse & Rastrick Band in the RAH. Although he was dragged out of retirement by Ashton Under-Lyne Band; and helped them win a couple of National Titles.
He is well known in Northern England as a highly successful and respected band trainer, conductor and adjudicator. He has been Music Director of the Every Ready Band, the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band, the Kibworth Band the Dobcross Band and has conducted many other famous bands. He has conducted at most of the major contests including the National Finals and the All England Masters Championships.
He is an arranger and composer and his music is currently being used for the “Music For Youth” Festival. “Pennine Music Publications”, “Prima Arts” and “Jagrins” publish his brass band arrangements. His music has also been used for the National Festival of Youth Music in the Royal Albert Hall! Having moved from Saddleworth to the Midlands for family health reasons, he is currently a professional Music Director and works on a freelance basis.
Robert first played the cornet at the tender age of eight in the Salvation Army in Plymouth. Over his formative years he gradually moved through various instruments, until he arrived at his first love, the Eb tuba.After a sabbatical from brass playing, he joined the Bristol East Band. Following a career move to the Midlands in the early 1980’s - and a short spell with the Langley Band - he found himself in the emerging Desford Colliery Dowty Band under Howard Snell. Here he enjoyed seven wonderfully successful years, in what was arguably, the best band in the country at that time. Numerous area titles, triple Granada Band of the Year champions, double BBC Best of Brass Champions, Champion of Champions and finally, European Champions, tend to underpin that claim.
Having retired from top level playing, Robert turned to conducting, with all that he had learnt from playing under Howard Snell coming to the surface. Taking his first band – Sandy Silver - to third spot in the National Finals and promotion to third section of banding. Stamford Brass followed, culminating in two appearances in the National Finals and promotion to the first section. A short stint with Cambridge Co-op Band resulted in a return to the Championship Section.
Having spent the past twenty two years deeply involved with Stamford Brass, as player, conductor and administrator, he is now in his third period as the band’s musical director.
Stamford Brass
Martin Dawson began playing the tenor horn at the age of ten in his local village band of Moulton in Northamptonshire. Already a keen percussionist , he alternated between the two instruments for a number of years. He joined the Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band on horn at 13, whilst playing for local bands such as Daventry and District and Northampton Town Band. In 1984, he joined the William Davis Construction Group Band in Leicestershire , eventually becoming their principal horn player. He then moved on to the world famous Desford Colliery Dowty Band, enjoying over two years with the band, including their hat trick of National Championship victories in the late 1980’s. Work then took him overseas to Bangkok and the chance to play with brass players in Thailand, including Canadian Brass tours and to try his hand at conducting. A return to the UK in 1995, coincided with a conducting vacancy at Rushden Windmill Band . The next two years saw the band win regularly in local and regional contests and promotion to the Third Section. Martin was also Resident Conductor at the Alliance and Leicester Kibworth Band during the same period. A move to Sri Lanka meant another change but allowed Martin to conduct and play with the Sri Lankan Army. This was followed by six years in Indonesia where he left brass altogether and performed as Elwood Blues Brother for six years in the largest Blues Brothers tribute band in South East Asia, including regular gigs in Jakarta, Bali and Singapore. Recently he has been playing with the Kyrgyz Philharmonic Orchestra and is a founding member of the Bishkek Brass Quintet in the Kyrgyz Republic. Currently working in Pakistan, brass band opportunities are limited but he has been able to return to the UK regularly to work with Rushden Town Band, who recently qualified for the National Finals in Cheltenham and support the wonderful ladies of Boobs and Brass.
Martin is still keen to play horn and regularly joins the Desford Colliery Band on their overseas toursRushden Town Band
Bob enjoyed a long playing career mainly as a soprano cornet player in the Midlands (Jaguar City of Coventry band, GUS, Kibworth) and London (London Collegiate Brass, Hanwell, Redbridge bands). Highlights included appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, many recordings and contest successes. Now mostly retired from playing, Bob was recently appointed Musical Director of the Northampton based band - Moulton 77. He also conducts and teaches on a freelance basis.
Moulton 77
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