Skip to content

About Brass Tracks

 
 
  

Who are we?

We are ‘Brass Tracks‘!  Formally known as the Training Band, our aim is to provide young and older people the opportunity to learn and play a brass instrument.  There’s no age restriction to join us!  Even if you haven’t played an instrument before, we love to hear from you.  Regardless of your experience and ability, we have a programme suitable for you.

 

How do we recruit?

Most of our recruitment is focused on schools in the local area.  Throughout the year, we actively engage with the younger members of our community.  Not only do they get to experience what a band sounds like, but they also have the opportunity to have a go and play on our instruments!

 

2016 saw our launch of the Alford Silver Band’s ‘Open Day’.  Held throughout the day, members of the public are invited to drop in, hear live music, talk to our current members and even try out an instrument!  The launch proved to be a very successful.  Stay in tune for the next ‘Open Day’!

 
 

 

 

 

Current development and future ambitions

Recruiting new members to our band is always on the top of our agenda.  Without new blood, the future of Alford Silver Band will not be possible.

We are always striving to raise the standard and develop our players each and every week.  Our members are continually exposed to new and more challenging music.  We play music of contrasting styles, exposing our musicians to different genres and developing their appreciation of music from different cultures and most importantly extending their musical vocabulary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of our members now play with the senior band.  This is always an important and exciting milestone.  In the future, we will be organising more concerts throughout the year, showcasing our talents to more members of the public.  The ultimate goal is for the training band to be its own outfit and present our own concerts. 

 

 

 

 

Musical Director

 

Andrew Taylor is the band’s Principal Cornet, Assistant Musical Director and Training Section Musical Director. 

He is also a gifted arranger who has arranged several pieces of music for the band, all to great public acclaim. 

Andrew was born in Grimsby and attended John Spendluffe School in Alford.

He started learning to play the cornet at the age of 7 with Alford Silver Band and very quickly got the bug for making music.

 When he left school, Andrew went on to study music at Huddersfield University, graduating as a Bachelor of Music BMus (Hons). Whilst at university he played for Holme Silver, Kippax Band and Yorkshire Coop Band.

After graduating, Andrew returned to the town of Alford and to Alford Silver Band.

He became the band’s Principal Cornet (leader of the band) in (year).

Andrew is keen to pass on his knowledge and his love for brass band music to others and so in (year) he took on the mantle of Traning Section Musical Director, also becoming the band’s Assistant Musical Director the same year.

He is a key member of the band’s Education Outreach Programme which takes live brass band music into local schools.

Under Andrew’s expert tuition, the training section has gone from strength to strength and he is now developing a programme of concerts by the training section to develop the young players’ confidence and prepare them for the next step – progressing into the main band.

Having previously run his own music business in the town, Andrew is currently honing his teaching skills with a view to concentrating on teaching music.