Alan Morrison F.T.C.L., L.R.A.M.

Musical Director

Having served several top class brass bands, including Grimethorpe Colliery and Brighouse and Rastrick, as Principal Cornet in a playing career that spanned over 40 years, Alan Morrison now concentrates more on conducting brass bands. He has been Musical Director to the Brighouse & Rastrick Band and currently directs the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band from Hull, as well as being Professional Musical Advisor to several other organisations including the famous Wingates Band.  

As a freelance musician he continues to be in great demand with worldwide appearances as an adjudicator, soloist and conductor. During his career Alan has performed in Australia several times, extensively in Europe and the USA as well as the length and breadth of Great Britain featuring in many festivals and gala concerts including the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.

Over the years Alan has been involved in the promotion and coaching of many young people and youth bands including the National Youth Bands of Switzerland and Great Britain and in 2006 he was the Guest Conductor of the European Youth Band at its course in Belfast. Since 2003 he has been Professional Musical Adviser to the all-conquering Camborne Youth Band who have now won 6 National titles.

An experienced music examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music he also visits educational establishments giving recitals, master classes and external examining, and has adjudicated brass band contests at all levels at home and abroad, including the National Championships of Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, the US Open and European Championships. 

Alan has recorded seven solo albums and pioneered a teaching video that has proven very successful. He also regularly features on light music recordings for the BBC with various ensembles including big bands and orchestras. 

There are several compositions and arrangements published for brass band by Alan that have also proven very popular and all are still available, some of the titles becoming best sellers, such as Buster Strikes Back and Sugar Blues. In addition to this Alan won the Fodens Richardson award for new arrangements with his stunning version of Over the Rainbow.

Alan was appointed as Musical Director of the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band in September 2010.

David Lancaster

Associate Conductor and Composer In Residence

Born in Wigan, David Lancaster began his musical career as cornet player with the Pemberton Old Brass Band. In 1976 he won the prestigious Alexander Owen Memorial Scholarship, which enabled him to study trumpet and cornet with Michael Antrobus. David studied music at York and Cambridge Universities where he specialised in composition. Since then his music has been played by many of the leading exponents of new music (including the Kronos Quartet, Lontano, Electric Phoenix, Gemini and No Strings Attached), in concerts and festivals all around the UK including London's South Bank Centre and the Edinburgh Festival. 

Since 1994 he has been a senior lecturer at York St John University. He is now in charge of a flourishing Music department where he teaches composition, world music, music technology and performance to postgraduate level. Previously he has taught at colleges in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire and was 'Composer in Residence' at Charterhouse for three years, during which time he also worked as freelance trumpet player in London and Paris. In addition to his work in York, David was until recently the External Examiner for Music at Salford University for an unprecedented five year period; he is currently working as External Examiner for Northumbria University. In 1994 David was appointed as the Musical Director of the Harrogate Band, during which time the band climbed from the Third Section (1996) to the Championship Section (2003) and established a reputation for innovative and imaginative concert performances. Since leaving the Harrogate Band in 2008, David has directed the Yorkshire Imperial Band and the Kippax Band, a position he still maintains. David is a member of the National Association of Brass Band Conductors, and the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators. He has adjudicated at several major contests, including the National Finals (2006) and the Yorkshire, North of England and Midlands Regional Championships, as well as the Butlin's Mineworkers' Championships

David was appointed as Associate Conductor, and Composer In Residence of the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band in October 2010.