|
Band Members
CORNETS:
Claire Donachie: Claire is one of
several current players who have proved their versatility over the years
by filling various positions in the Band – currently on cornet, she has
played trombone, baritone and tuned percussion as well since joining in
(she thinks) 1997. After studying Audio Engineering , Claire indulged
her love of travel in 2006 by heading out to the west coast of Canada
for six months, arriving back just in time for a personal highlight, the
Challenge Cup contest in Glasgow. Currently, she is working as a
Customer Service Advisor with BT, but would love to travel again soon,
whether returning to Canada or heading off somewhere else.
Her favourite band piece is "Brazil!", could that be a hint? Boyfriend,
Ally, will no doubt accompany her again – having now been forgiven
(just) for embarrassing her by dancing to the music in the middle of
Perth High Street whilst rattling a collecting can last Christmas.
Recently, Claire has put her Audio skills to great use by becoming
involved with "Bridge FM", the radio station based at Ninewells Hospital
in Dundee. She acts as a production assistant, planning and choosing
music playlists and helping with all the many tasks around the studio.
Jane Byers: Jane came into the Youth
Band during 2005, and was asked to rehearse with the senior band as we
prepared for the 2007 Scottish championships, before taking her place in
the cornet section for the contest itself.
She claims that her favourite banding activity to date is Christmas
playing in Perth High Street, even though it’s usually windy and
freezing cold, although not so much fun is finding herself rummaging
through the music trying to find the right piece whilst everyone else is
already playing. Jane is a pupil at Perth Academy.
Brian Roper: Brian is one of the
very few band members who has not been taught at some stage by our MD,
George Annan, who is a long serving brass teacher in Perth and Kinross
schools. He commenced playing in the Salvation Army in Kirkcaldy at the
age of eight, going on to play in SA bands in Falkirk and Carlisle
before giving up playing before moving to Perth in 1993. It was only
after son Grant became involved with the band at youth level that Brian
linked up with Perthshire Brass, initially shaking a collecting can at
Christmas playing time before being invited along for a blow in
September 2001. After many years as a horn player, he found himself in
the back row of the cornet section upon joining this band.
Yet another vote for "Ashokan Farewell", along with "Hollywood" as
favourite pieces, and another who rates the Challenge Cup performance in
November 2006 as a highlight . A tour "rookie" in the Czech Republic in
2005, he enjoyed the experience, and is also a self-confessed "Millport
junkie", who looks forward to our annual participation in the Cumbrae
Country & Western Festival which sees the band togged up in cowboy gear,
playing on the back of a lorry as part of a parade – this has to be
experienced to be believed!
Several of the band would say that being both the band’s resident "brass
band geek" (with an extensive CD collection and "4barsrest" bookmarked)
and resident Raith Rovers fan are embarrassing enough, but confidently
leading the back row off stage at the Challenge Cup in Glasgow –
straight into a kitchen – is a fairly good contender. Outwith band
activities, Brian is employed as the Business Manager of a local Jaguar
dealership.
+ Rachael Halkerston | David Annan | Jim Annan
| Lynn Harper | David Bendall | Rowan
Brown
SOPRANO CORNET:
Robbie Strong: Robbie came into the
Youth Band in 2002, but quickly established himself in the cornet
section of the senior band prior to making his contesting debut in 2004.
He had moved into the soprano "hot seat" in time to tackle "Tam O’
Shanter’s Ride" at the 2005 Scottish Championships and has now made the
position his own.
He is currently the sole representative of the Auchterarder in the band,
in which town he is a senior school pupil as well as keeping the
populace well fed in his part time job in a local "chippy"!
Robbie is one of several members whose banding highlights include our
strong performance in the 2006 Scottish Challenge Cup, as well as his
memories of tours to France in 2003 and the Czech Republic in 2005 – and
of course our regular jaunts down to the Millport "Country & Western"
festivals.
He particularly enjoys playing numerous pieces from the band’s
repertoire, marches such as "Brass Ablaze" and "Men of Harlech" and
concert numbers such as "McArthur Park" getting a mention.
Having at first claimed to have no embarrassing banding memories – an
answer that for some reason was not accepted – he then happened to
mention "one or two"…..such as turning up to an evening Christmas
engagement in "blue" (meaning of course stage jackets for everyone) ,
but his blue top was of the St. Johnstone FC variety…….such as playing a
completely different piece of music to everyone else in a Millport
concert…such as having his unruly locks "shorn" by Gillian during a
rehearsal weekend away, and the clippers breaking halfway through…such
as dropping his cornet…..
FLUGEL HORN:
Clair Annan: Clair, is another of
many who have come through the Youth Band ranks, having been tutored by
Mr Annan whilst still at school. Clair came into the band in 1993, and
recalls being "reserve 3rd cornet" for a "Scottish" one year before
claiming her place the following year, developing into a very fine
flugel player indeed who was awarded "best instrumentalist" at the Fife
Brass Festival in both 2004 and 2005, to add to her Northern Counties
junior slow melody trophy from 1997.
Highlights for Clair revolve around all six band tours that she has been
on – Norway 1996, Germany 1997, New Zealand 1999, Holland/Germany 2001,
France 2003 and Czech Republic in 2005. Amongst her favourite pieces are
"Ashokan Farewell", which was a very well received feature during the
2005 tour, "Suo Gan" from "A Celtic Suite", and Barrie Gott’s big-band
style "Lightwalk". Additionally she enjoys listening to Peter Graham’s
"Windows of the World".
There are no personal embarrassing Banding moments that come to mind,
although being part of the band whose marching "skills" were "pretty
shocking" in Queenstown, New Zealand was bad enough!
Clair, nee Strachan, is sister to trombonist Callum and daughter of past
band Chairperson Elizabeth. Husband George plays solo Euphonium, so she
has brothers in law Jim and David for company as well as the MD being
her father in law. Clair is currently a primary school teacher, and is
proud Mum to Ross who was born in August 2006. She manages to fit
playing 1st trumpet with Perth Symphony Orchestra into her busy life as
well.
TENOR HORNS:
Gillian Brailsford: Gillian is one
of the Band’s longest serving members, having commenced playing in 1984
whilst still in primary school.She has occupied the solo horn chair with
distinction for several years now, winning best instrumentalist at a
Fife Charities Contest as the band won that day playing "Hollywood".
That remains one of her favourite banding memories, along with the New
Zealand tour in 1999 when she went bungee jumping (although I am
reliably informed that she left her horn on the bus whilst doing so!) As
far as a favourite piece is concerned, Gillian nominates Peter Graham’s
"Dimensions", with which the band has enjoyed contest success.
A memory to consign to experience was mis-pitching "every single note"
(her own words) during a solo in "Schindler’s List" – just shows that
even the best make the odd mistake.
Gillian is employed as a Contracts Assistant with Scottish & Southern
Energy in Perth, whilst for "relaxation" she acts as the efficient and
hard working secretary of Perthshire Brass.
Lindsay Kettles: Stalwart of the
horn section, Lindsay has been in the band since 1991, during which time
she has served in numerous committee positions and is currently
vice-chairperson.
In response to my questions, Lindsay nominated "Ashokan Farewell" as a
favourite piece, but seemed to suffer from a strange form of amnesia
when it came to "best" and "most embarrassing" moments from the last 16
years - she has enjoyed touring and various contest successes but as a
shy, retiring, and conscientious young lady she obviously cannot
possibly have done anything remotely embarrassing……
An accomplished French horn player, Lindsay is a member of Perth
Symphony Orchestra. Away from music-making, she is a primary school
teacher.
+ Rebecca Milne | Natalie Tosh
BARITONES:
Alison Croft: Alison is proud to
describe herself as a "layabout" – in reality, she’s a music student at
Aberdeen University. She has been involved with the band since late
2000, and currently occupies the first baritone chair in the contest
band, although she is equally at home in the trombone section having
served Perth Youth Orchestra on that instrument for some time.
Alison nominates "Ashokan Farewell" as her favourite band piece, whilst
highlighting her first overseas tour, to Holland and Germany in 2001 as
an enjoyable experience. She claims to have had no embarrassing band
moments, or if she has, they have been blocked from her memory as being
too psychologically scarring.
Away from Perthshire Brass, Alison’s claim to fame is that she performed
in a world premiere of a composition by Cornish composer Graham Fitkin,
as part of a University project. During the piece, she played a Japanese
temple bell – not a lot of people can say that they’ve done that!
Alison’s Mum, Linda, although not a playing member of the band does
sterling work as our contest secretary, ensuring that all registration
cards are distributed to show off the dodgy mugshots to most
embarrassing effect.
+ Catherine Rose | Sandra Smith
|
|