Basses

Instrument: Tuba

Occupation: Database Designer

Why did you take up a brass instrument: Mike Thorne came in to my primary school as a peri and made it sound a lot more appealing than the recorder!

Joined the band: 1998

Why did you join the band: Mike Thorne suggested I joined a band outside of school lessons and my family knew Gerald who was taking the juniors at the time.

First contest: Gloucester Entertainments

Previous Band(s): Apart from County and 3 Counties, none.

Favourite Banding memory: Touring Holland and Ireland with 3 Counties bands and playing at the British Finals with ATSB

Favourite Contest: Fishguard

Favourite test piece: All sound the same as a tuba player!

Favourite park job piece: Fields of Gold (Wedding Style)

Interesting fact/something we didn't know: Undefeated, fastest pint downer since 2008!

Instrument: Eb Bass

Occupation: Student

Why did you take up a brass instrument: I was the biggest boy in my class and my teacher at the time gave me a tuba and told me to go learn it. Never looked back since then.

Joined the band: 2019

Why did you join Ammanford Band: A friend of mine who was in the band had asked me to come down and fromthe first rehersal I knew i wanted to join the band.

First contest: Welsh Regionals 2019 in Wrexham.

Previous Bands: Britton Ferry

Favourite Banding memory: Playing Music of The Spheres, by Phillip Sparke, with NYBBW and feeling my section gel together.

Favourite Contest: National Eisteddfod

Favourite Test Piece: Paganini Variations by Philip Wilby

Favourite Park Job piece: The Cossack

Interesting Fact: I do a lot of arranging for brass bands or small brass ensembles

Instrument: Bass

Occupation: Self Employed Vehicle Examiner

Why did you take up a brass instrument: I didn’t like playing the violin.

Joined the band: 1975

Why did you join the band: Because my peripatetic teacher at the time, Mr Ivor Davies, was the MD of the band.

First contest: Abertillery Leisure Centre 1976 - Where I lost my mouthpiece before going onstage, because I was playing around on the gym equipment and put it in my pocket, where it fell out and I couldn’t find it.

Previous bands: BTM, Pontardulais, GCG, National Youth Brass Band of Wales

Favourite banding memory:

1) Winning the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2001 in Second Section.

2) Playing with the National Youth Brass Band of Wales in the European Brass Band Championships Gala Concert in St David’s Hall, 1992.

Favourite contest: Welsh Regionals at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea

Favourite test piece: The Essence of Time by Peter Graham

Favourite park job piece: The Hustle

Interesting fact/Something you never knew: I was at the live launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery at Kennedy Space Center in 1998. I’ve also seen a grand piano fall through the old wooden stage at the Royal Albert Hall!

Instrument: Bb BASS

Occupation: Sales Manager, Underfloor Heating

Why did you take up a brass instrument: A group of musicians came to my primary school (no peripetetic teachers back then) and the school had their own cornets however, I was too late so I joined the junior band at GCG aged 10 years old instead.

Joined the band: GCG band in August I 1974, Ammanford in June 2001 with a few gaps for other bands.

Why did you join the band: After being nagged by Eifion Rogers for years, Phil Rogers approached me after I left GCG after 27 years with the band. Seemed to be the best option to please everyone

First contest: Swansea but not the Welsh Area. It WAS CISWO Miners at Glyn Vivian Hall

Previous Band(s): GCG, Glynneath, Markham, Tredegar, Britton Ferry

Favourite Banding memory: Winning the National Finals in 2001

Favourite Contest: Treorchy Contest

Favourite test piece: SUITE GOTHIC

Favourite park job piece: ACES HIGH

Interesting fact/something we didn't know: I played the seasonally dressed man in the red suit every weekend in December at Leekes for 10 years.