Rebecca writes: “I started playing the cornet when I was 12 so you would have thought I should have cracked it by now!
My first banding experience was at school with the John Lea Swing Band. However, my brass banding career started with Earls Barton Silver Band, the village where I was born and brought up and later at Northampton Town Band.
From 14 to 18 years, I also played for Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band and during this period had some great experiences with residential courses at Grendon, playing for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s visit to Strixton plus tours of Yugoslavia, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
During my college years in Ormskirk, I joined Rainford Band, then the Ancient Order of Foresters Band when I started work in Leicester. Since moving to East Anglia, I have tooted for Soham Comrades, Littleport and more recently Haverhill Silver Band.
Things that always amaze me about banding – wherever you go there is always a band not too far away and whatever contest you are playing in, you always come across someone you used to play in a band with.
Steve started playing at the age of 10, under the watchful eye of the late Ted Biggs, the then conductor of Hadstock Silver Band. He managed to progress from the back row through to Principal Cornet and held that position for around 10 years before moving on to Haverhill, playing in every cornet seat apart from Principal and Soprano. Steve is currently enjoying the Principal Third Cornet position and also enjoys helping out many bands in the London and Southern Counties area. He is proud to have two sons involved with the band; Ryan, who is currently playing Tutti Cornet for the Senior Band (and Sop for HYAC) and Joseph, who plays kit for the Youth & Community Band.