Born in 1971 in Wakefield, Neil started to play the baritone at the age of 8 with his school band. This band progressed, and developed into an adult band, now known as Knottingley Concert Brass. Established in 1976, Knottingley Concert Brass is still directed by the original MD, Mr Graham Dean who was a big influence on Neil’s early banding career. Neil had a spell on Solo Horn for a couple of years before settling on Euphonium in 1990. Whilst at KCB he also played for three years with the Yorkshire Schools Brass Band, conducted by the likes of Major Peter Parkes, and Roy Newsome, and appearing with soloists such as Jim Shepherd, Alan Morrison and the Childs Brothers.

Neil joined his first competing band, Sharlston Colliery Band in 1994, (ironically sponsored by West Yorkshire Motors). After joining initially on 2nd Baritone, he found himself promoted to Solo Euph within a couple of months. It wasn’t until Neil was 30 that he joined his hometown band, Knottingley Silver in 2002. He enjoyed almost immediate success by helping them to win the Yorkshire Area 1st Section in 2003 and promotion to the Championship Section.

Neil joined the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band in December 2006 playing 2nd Euphonium, and was promoted to the Solo Euphonium position in April 2007.

Neil currently works as a Hot End Process Operator at Saint-Gobain Glass UK Ltd, a £65m float glass manufacturing plant at Eggborough, near Selby. When not working or banding, he enjoys spending time with his two young sons, going to the gym, is an avid rugby league fan (Castleford Tigers) and enjoys coarse fishing. At the 2011 North Of England Brass Band Championships, Neil won The Maurice Metcalfe Memorial Euphonium Trophy.

Recent Solos:- 

Benedictus		Karl Jenkins  arr Tony Small
Grandfather's Clock		Geo. Doughty
Euphony		Robert Redhead
Me & My Shadow (Duet with Andrew Kennedy)		Dreyer/Jolson/Rose
Michaelangelo		Sigvart Dagsland arr. Frode Rydland
Jenny Jones		William Rimmer arr. G. Hawkins
Song For Ina		Philip Sparke
Another Fine Mess (Duet With Andrew Kennedy)		Carrol, Hatley, Sheild & Hill arr. Sandy Smith
The Prayer (Duet with Kathy Newiss)		Sager/Foster/Testa/Renis arr Mark Wardle
Pequena Czarda		Pedro Iturraide arr. Klaas van der Woude
Canzon Bravura		Paul Lovatt-Cooper
Lament from Stabat Mater		Karl Jenkins arr. Robert Childs & Andrew Wainwright

Previous Bands

Knottingley Concert Brass

Sharlston Colliery Band

Knottingley Silver Band

Melanie started playing the Euphionium at the tender age of 7, joining the Hampshire County Youth Brass Band. Moving North aged 14, Melanie played with the Cleveland Youth Brass Band, and the Yarm & District Brass Band. Melanie studied for four years at the Birmingham Conservatoire, being taught the Euphonium by Steven Mead. After successfully completing a B.A. (Hons.) music degree, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance Studies, Melanie trained as a primary school teacher in North Lincolnshire.

It was at this time in January 1998 that Melanie joined the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band as Solo Euphonium. During her time as Solo Euphonium, Melanie played at the National Finals on five occasions, along with many other contests and concerts, often as a featured soloist. After almost seven years with EYMS, Melanie chose to leave the Band in 2004 when she was expecting her first child.

After a break from playing for several years, Melanie decided that the time was right to resume her playing career, and for the last three years has been a member of the Barton Town Band. Melanie rejoined the EYMS Band in September 2011.  

Previous Bands

Yarm and District

Wooley Pritchard Sovereign

East Yorkshire Motor Services Band

Barton Town Band

Vice Chair/Trustee

John initially started to play the Tenor Horn whilst at comprehensive school, before he joined the Primo Windows Grimsby Band on 2nd Horn, playing alongside his father Barry on Solo Horn. After a few years John moved to the Albright & Wilson Brigg Band, playing 1st Horn initially before moving onto the Baritone. The conductor of Albright & Wilson, moved on to conduct the Brodsworth Colliery Band. He contacted John and asked if he would like to audition for the position of 2nd Baritone. John did so, and was invited to join the band on 1st Baritone. Brodsworth had just come 3rd at the National Brass Band Finals, and as a result were asked to represent England at the European Brass Band Championships in Kerkrade, Holland. This was a fantastic experience for John, as it incorporated a tour of France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. In 1984, the miners strike started and the Brodsworth Colliery Band began to suffer as a result. John left and moved to the Cleethorpes Band on 1st Baritone. Whilst there, the band's Solo Euphonium player left and John was asked to take over that position. It was a move John regretted, so after a time he left the band and moved back to the Primo Windows Grimsby Band, this time on Bb Bass. This was to be a short term move, another one which John regretted. However after a short time he moved on to the Eb Bass, which he really enjoyed, even winning the soloist prize at the Cleethorpes Brass Band Contest. In 1992, John was asked to join the East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band on Eb Bass, moving on to Baritone in 2003. John regards the highlight of his playing career as "Being asked to play at Black Dyke by Bob Childs, the EYMS Conductor at the time. One Eb Bass had left the band at short notice, and I filled the spot for nearly six months. What a fantastic experience, playing with the current National, Open, and European Champions". John - an electrician - lives in Grimsby, and is married to Julia who plays 2nd Cornet with the Band. 

Recent Solo:- 

Deep Inside The Sacred Temple - Duet with Erin McVittie

Bizet arr Keith Wilkinson

Previous Bands

Primo Windows Grimsby Band

Albright & Wilson Brigg Band

Brodsworth Colliery

Cleethorpes Band

East Yorkshire Brass

Committee Member

Sam started his playing career at the Barnetby Junior Band at the age of nine as a cornet player, progressing three years later to the senior band. At the age of thirteen, the decision was made to switch instruments to the Euphonium, eventually taking over the Solo Euphonium chair. When Sam reached the age of 18, he felt that the time was right to leave the Barnetby Silver Band, and he moved to the Barrow Concert Band. 

Whilst at the Barrow Band, Sam contested regularly and was the featured soloist at several contests. In 2008, Sam moved to the Frickley South Elmsall Band as their Solo Euphonium player, and once again enjoyed the contesting - achieving some success in his first year with the Band (2nd place at the Yorkshire Regional Contest 2nd Section, thus qualifying for the 2nd Section National Championships where the Band came 5th). Towards the end of 2009 Sam applied for the 2nd Euphonium seat at the East Yorkshire Motor Services Band, and following a successful audition, joined the Band in January 2010. Sam is looking forward to a long time with the Band, and especially working in the Euphonium section with Neil, and taking this opportunity to develop his playing ability.

Sam comes from a banding family, with his dad, brother, uncle, and cousin, all playing brass instruments with local bands. Currently working as an electrician, Sam's claim to fame is that he wired up the bandroom at the new St John Ambulance headquarters, where the Band started rehearsals in 2010. Sam moved from Euphonium onto Baritone in September 2011.

Previous Bands

Barnetby Silver Band

Barrow Concert Band

Frickley South Elmsall