The Bass Section      

Gareth was introduced to brass playing at the age of 6 by his mother, Denise, initially following in her footsteps by playing the Tenor Horn. Soon after joining the East Riding Junior Brass Band, he opted to play Eb Bass, on a reduced-size Victorian instrument provided by his other band at the time, the Driffield Silver Band. During his teens, not only did he gain a new full-size bass, but he also progressed to the East Riding Youth Brass Band, and East Yorkshire Brass, going on three European tours, playing in many competitions and concerts, where he regularly featured as a soloist. He received the Norman Blades Memorial Trophy from Driffield Silver Band and the Margaret Spirit Trophy from the East Riding Youth Brass Band. 

On his arrival at university in Newcastle, Gareth joined the Northumbria Police Band working under the baton of conductors such as, David Hirst, Brian Grant, Roy Curran and Graham O’Connor. He went on further tours to Germany, was part of the ‘Best Bass Section’ winning the Bob Dales Memorial Trophy, and competed in the National Finals. He remained a member of the band until completing his Masters’ Degree at Leeds University. He relocated to London in September 2002, taking a break from banding until he was asked to ‘help out’ East London Brass. In August 2004, he joined Clacton-on-Sea Cooperative Band where he performed in two further National Final competitions. In 2005, Gareth additionally joined the ten-piece ensemble Harmony Brass, and the quintet Bespoke Brass. Gareth played with Redbridge Brass on their Listen To The Band recording for BBC Radio 2, and at Twickenham for the Powergen Cup Final. He also played with Aveley & Newham Brass Band on a recording with ‘The Guillemots’ for their latest album in the Air Studios in Hampstead. He competed at Butlins and the Grand Shield with Redbridge Brass in 2006, and joined Thundersley Brass Band, performing at the National Finals at Harrogate.

A career move has seen Gareth return to his East Yorkshire roots in December 2006, where he joined EYMS in January 2007. He now works for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council at County Hall in Beverley as a Senior Research Officer.

Previous Bands

Aunt Bessies East Yorkshire Brass

Northumbria Police Band

East London Brass

Clacton-on-Sea Cooperative Band

Redbridge Brass

Thundersley Brass Band

Calverton Colliery

Allerton Bywater Colliery

Ransomes

In 1981, at the age of 7, Sam started playing in the SW16 Youth Band, a band which his Dad had just started. As the band’s original Soprano Cornet player, he lasted just 3 weeks before starting the steady move down the band. He progressed to Bb Cornet and spent the next 4 years learning to play (a C major scale!). In 1985, following a move from South London to North Yorkshire, Sam finally mastered the art of playing a scale and joined the Rowntrees Junior Band. The next 5 years saw Sam progress into the Senior Band and move from instrument to instrument until a far-sighted conductor (Duncan Beckley) put him on Eb Bass. He left the band in 1990 to fulfil a long-term ambition of being a shed-builder, playing Timpani at the National Finals with the South Milford Band (where they finished 7^th). A brief spell with John Laing (Hendon) as a student, was followed by 2 years with the York Railway Institute band.

In 1999, returning from a year travelling, Sam returned to the Rowntree band on Bb Bass, fulfilling another ambition of playing in the same section as his Dad (bless). It was a winning return to banding, as the band secured a place at the National Finals in Nottingham (where they came 7^th). After an enjoyable year and a half with the band, Sam left to take his banding further. He joined the Yorkshire Imperial (Urquhart Travel) band in July 2000, and made his contesting debut for them at the Yorkshire Area Finals. In April 2002, Sam went on the first of four tours with YABB to Luxembourg, Germany and Belgium. In July 2003, an opportunity arose to play for the Ransome band, a move which would entail a 200 mile round trip for each rehearsal. Having spent some time with the band though, he was convinced that it was the right move to make and in October 2003, he appeared at the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall, where the band finished 7^th (is there a pattern forming here?). Sam spent a very enjoyable 2 years with the Ransome band, where apart from the National Finals, highlights included winning the Senior Cup, the Mineworkers Championship and the French Open, playing to 5000 people at York Racecourse and helping the band to it’s best ever finish at the All England Masters. In the end though, the travel became too much and in June 2005, Sam joined the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band. Sam left the Band in late 2006, when his work commitments meant that he wasn’t able to commit to the Band. He changed employer in February 2007, and was able to return to banding, and so after a spell conducting the Cottingham Band, and playing for the City of Cambridge and Knottingley Bands, Sam joined the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band in August 2007. However, the impending arrival of his baby daughter meant that this move didn’t work out, and Sam was delighted to rejoin the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band a couple of months later.

Rowntrees

South Milford (ASDA Manufacturing)

John Laing (Hendon)

York Railway Institute

Yorkshire Imperial (Urquhart Travel)

Ransomes

East Yorkshire Motor Services

City Of Cambridge

Carlton Main Colliery Frickley

Pete began his playing career at the age of 9, when he started to learn the Flugel Horn. This was to be a short lived experience as he swiftly moved down through the instruments, until at the age of 10 he joined The Lincoln Band on EEb Bass. In 1978, Pete moved to The Spillers (Gainsborough) Band, who had recently won the second section National Brass Band Championship Finals.

Taking a break from playing whilst he studied at the Hatfield Polytechnic, Pete joined the Beverley Borough Band, when a career move saw him relocate to the East Riding of Yorkshire. Pete was a founder member of East Yorkshire Brass, and switched to BBb Bass soon after joining the band. Having enjoyed contest success with East Yorkshire Brass, rising through the sections from Fourth section to Championship section. In 1996, he moved to local rivals, The Cottingham Band and enjoyed the same meteoric progress through the sections with them. Pete joined the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band in December 2005. 

Pete works as a civil engineer with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.  

Previous Bands

The Lincoln Band

Spillers (Gainsborough) Band

Beverley Borough Band

East Yorkshire Brass

The Cottingham Band