Neil was born in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire in 1965. He started to play the Cornet at the age of 8 under the guidance of John Earnshaw. At the tender age of 10, Neil joined the Kirkby Colliery Welfare Band on 2^nd Cornet. His first solo with the band came a year later at Rhyl Mineworkers Camp - Sunshine Of Your Smile. At the age of 14 Neil became the Junior Slow Melody Champion Of Great Britain, a feat that was to be repeated a year later, along with a 2nd place at the Oxford Air Varie Solo Championships of Great Britain. During Neil's continued progress, he entered over 75 Soloist competitions up and down the country, winning many of these.

At 15, Neil moved to the Bestwood Black Diamonds Band on Bumper-up Cornet, a year later he was promoted to the Principal Cornet Chair, helping the band to many contest wins including Regional and National 1st Section Titles, as well as success in several entertainment contests. Neil stayed at Bestwood for four years, when he was then appointed Principal Cornet of the Ransome Band (formally the Ransome and Marles Works Band), under the guidance of Major Peter Parkes. It was here that Neil enjoyed a very successful time with the band, which included appearances at the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall, success in Regional Qualifying Championships, and two very successful band tours to Germany. During his time at the Ransome Band, Neil had the opportunity to play under the baton of several of the top conductors of the day, including David James, Ray Farr, and Trevor Walmsley DFC, to name but a few.  

After a successful 6-year spell at Ransomes, Neil accepted the position of Principal Cornet at the Thoresby Colliery Welfare Band under the guidance of Stan Lippeat. Here again the band was successful in both Regional, and National competitions, probably the highlight of this time was being crowned 1^st Section National Champions at the Royal Albert Hall in 2000. In 2002, Neil had a break from playing for 18 months due to a family bereavement - however the temptation to pick up the Cornet again was too hard to turn down and he resumed playing in 2004, again as Principal Cornet with the Thoresby Colliery Band.  

In 2005 Neil left the Nottinghamshire area and moved into Lincolnshire due to a change in employment. During the last 3 years in Lincolnshire, Neil has been Principal Cornet with both the Foss Dyke Band, and the Barton Town Band, leading the Foss Dyke Band to 1st Section Regional Champions, and the Barton Town Band to 3^rd Section Regional Champions, as well as 2^nd place at the 3rd Section National Championships. After leaving the Barton Town Band in January 2008, Neil was once again reunited with Stan Lippeat, when he returned to the Principal Cornet position with the Thoresby Colliery Band.

Neil was appointed Principal Cornet with the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band in September 2008, after guesting with the Band on several occasions over the previous year. Neil currently works as a Engineer for a Medical Company in Lincoln, having been there from 2005. Neil has a young son, who is now playing the cornet, and hopes to follow in his father's footsteps.

Kirkby Colliery Welfare Band

Bestwood Black Diamonds Band

The Ransomes Band

Thoresby Colliery Band

Foss Dyke Band

Barton Town Band

East Yorkshire Motor Services Band

Black Dyke Band

Wetherby Silver

Harrogate Town

Driffield Band

Aunt Bessies East Yorkshire Brass

John was born into a Salvation Army family, and learnt to play the Cornet at a very early age, moving on to the Soprano Cornet at just 9 years of age. At just 11, John joined the Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band, the youngest soprano player ever to take the position, where he studied under John Berryman. Whilst with the band, he was fortunate to be part of many tours to several European destinations, and also a 3 week tour of the United States of America in the long hot summer of 1976 - an experience he will never forget. Upon leaving school, John took a 5 year break from banding, to continue his studies. Returning to playing, John took over the soprano seat at Rushden Temperance Band (now Rushden Windmill), where he played under some legends of the banding world, including Geoff Whitham, and Harry Mortimer.

In 1988, due to work commitments, John relocated to Wakefield, and joined the Allerton Bywater Colliery Band, helping them to a win at the National Finals that year, before moving on to cornet and joining the front row at the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band.

In 1991, due to work and family pressures, John took a break from banding, which lasted for 3 years before being asked to 'help out for Blackpool' - always partial to a good weekend away he couldn’t refuse! John then joined Knottingley Silver Band (winning the best soloist prize at Malton Brass ‘96, performing ‘Misty’), before moving to Sharlston Colliery Band, which sadly folded in 2001. As there were no vacant Soprano Cornet seats in the area at that time, John took up the Principal Cornet seat at the Stanley Newmarket Colliery Band, and 3 years later moved back to his beloved soprano at  the Wakefield Metropolitan Band.

John is currently taking a break from work to care for his wife Margaret who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis. He has a 13 year old daughter, Louise, who plays front row cornet at the local Tingley Band.  As well as playing, John is also the senior tutor at the Stanley Brass Workshops. John helped the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band out at the 2007 Senior Cup competition, joining the Band as a full time member in September 2008.

Recent Solos:- 

Rushden Temperance Band

Allerton Bywater Band

Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band

Knottingley Silver Band

Sharlston Colliery Band

Stanley Newmarket Colliery Band

Wakefield Metropolitan Brass Band

Kirsty was born in Hull in 1972 and started playing the cornet at the age of nine. She progressed through the City’s youth bands and orchestras culminating in winning brass player of the year in 1991. In 1989, she joined The City of Hull Band as a founding member on 2nd cornet. Kirsty played in the band’s first ever contest in the fourth section Yorkshire Areas, which they won, earning a trip to London for the National Finals. Kirsty briefly left the band in 1991 when she moved to Coventry to study Mathematics at Warwick University where she joined Coventry CPA Band. She returned to the band in 1993 to help out with contests and concerts and returned full time in 1994 after finishing her degree. In 1995, Kirsty married the band’s Eb Bass player, David Fox, at Howden Minster, with music during the service provided by the band. She moved onto Repiano cornet in the summer of 2000, whilst expecting her first child. Kirsty qualified and worked as a chartered accountant until 2002 when she took a career break to look after Liam and the twins, Joshua and Emily. Following the career break, Kirsty retrained as a primary school teacher, and now works at a school in East Yorkshire. During Spring & Summer 2010, Kirsty moved onto the Principal Cornet Chair, leading the Band in the Senior Cup Competition, as well as all of the summer concerts.  

City of Hull

Coventry C. P. A.

Julia grew up in the East Riding of Yorkshire and started having trumpet lessons at South Hunsley School.  Whilst at school she joined the East Riding Youth Orchestra, The Hull Philharmonic, and Hessle Sinfonia.  She joined the now defunct Hessle Royal British Legion Brass Band on solo cornet in 1976, and played with the band until leaving the area to study Industrial Economics, at Nottingham University in 1980. 

On returning to the Grimsby area in 1989 Julia started playing again with Cleethorpes Brass Band, joining the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band on Solo Cornet in 1993. Julia has played at every area contest and at all eight of the Bands appearances at the National Brass Band Championship Finals.  Following a brief venture onto the Tenor Horn, she has recently returned to sit on the back row on second cornet - a blessing for all concerned!!

She is fortunate to share her passion for the Band with her husband John who plays solo baritone and daughter Joanna who has recently joined on 2^nd Baritone.

Hessle Royal British Legion

Cleethorpes Band

Andrea started playing the cornet at the age of seven, when she joined the junior section of Newark Town Band. When her family moved to East Yorkshire, she joined the Driffield Town Band along with her father and sister. Andrea also joined the East Riding Youth Brass Band, where she played Principal Cornet - a position she also held with Driffield Town Band for a number of years before leaving to go to university. Andrea also played with East Yorkshire Brass, and played the trumpet with the East Riding Youth Orchestra.

Whilst at university in Dundee, Andrea played in the university jazz band, where she met her husband Andy. Moving back to East Yorkshire in 1996, Andrea and Andy joined The Cottingham Band, where she played Repiano Cornet until the birth of her son in 2004. Andrea took a break from playing until May 2006, when she joined the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band. Andrea works part time as a primary school teacher.  

Newark Town

Driffield Town

East Riding Youth Band

East Yorkshire Brass

Tayport Band

The Cottingham Band

Simon, a sports journalist from Grimsby, has been playing with brass bands on and off for more then 35 years. He started to play the cornet through free music lessons at school, progressing through to join the Grimsby Band in the early 1970's, and playing with them during its years in the Championship section. In 1990, having established himself on EEb Bass, he moved to the Ransome Band  in Newark, and after two years moved on to the Chesterfield based Rhodian Brass, both bands also in the top sphere of banding.

During a six-year stay with Rhodian he played in the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain finals at the Royal Albert Hall three times. Simon also twice figured in the British Open, and four times in the All-England Masters Contest. During this time Simon moved back to playing the cornet.   

After a spell out of banding he was invited in February 2002 to join the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band, and helped them to qualify for the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall on three occasions. Now, after another breather Simon has rejoined the band on cornet. (October 2006)

At one time Simon was also on the Grimsby pub and club circuit, as the lead singer of the groups Sunrise, Snatch, and latterly Fifth Avenue, with whom he also played trumpet.  

The Grimsby Band

The Ransome Band

Rhodian Brass

East Yorkshire Motor Services