John Field, the band chairman, has been a member of the Breckland Brass Band since the band was formed in 1951. As well as carrying out the duties of chairman he is also the mainstay of the bass section playing Bb bass which he has done for the past 49 years, man and boy so to speak. Married to Gwen, who is the band secretary, John was born in Brandon and has lived all his life in the town.
Dave Goodwin is the present conductor of the band and apart from two years, when he wanted to get his lip back (he says), has conducted for the last ten years. Starting on Eb horn as long ago as 1957, he transfered to Bb cornet a year later and has been playing cornet ever since. As a member of the Fleet Air Arm he was picked to play a part in the Fleet Air Arm Volunteer Band which was a contesting band stationed at Arbroath in Scotland and played under the baton of the great, late, Walter Hargreaves, an experience he will never forget as the band progressed from "C" section to Championship section in five years. Unfortunately, having reached such an exalted position the band was disbanded and never played again.
BAND MEMBERS
Soprano Cornet
Principal Cornet Malcolm Merryweather
Tutti Cornets Fred Wilcox
Art McGettrick
Josh Howell
Repiano Keith Blasby
Andrew Durrant
Flugel Les Friend
2nd Cornets Dave Plant
Robert Webb
Sonya Weetman
3rd Cornets VACANCY
Solo Eb Horn Angela Brain
1st Eb Horn Clare Coughlan
2nd Eb Horn Rachel Hodder
1st Baritone Arthur Aves
2nd Baritone Shirley Harrison
Paul Kay
1st Euphonium Peter Zipfell
2nd Euphonium Joy Mayhew
3rd Euphonium Sam Trayton
1st Trombone VACANCY
2nd Trombone William Brewer
Bass Trombone Colin Francis
Eb Bass Colin Friend
Syd Dupe
Arron Johnson
Bb Bass John Field
Michael Sitch
Percussion Charles Wharf
Tim Bowes
Malcolm Buxton
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Richard Lake
MEET THE BAND
Chairman
Conductor
