Author: Emmeline Downer

Here is part two of our welcome to the new players!

First the band would like to welcome Matthew Foakes to the Bb Bass seat. Matthew is originally from Reading. His brass banding career began aged eight, where he started playing the cornet. After spending some time on euphonium, he settled on the tuba and played for the Berkshire Youth Brass Band whilst living at home. He moved to Birmingham to study German and Russian and he played in the university brass band. He returned to Reading and played in a 4th section band called Pangbourne Silver Band. Now living in London, Matthew works in publishing and really looks forward to his role in the band.

Next, we congratulate Andy Sladen for his brave move from the front row cornet section to the soprano cornet. After Andy unexpectedly came home from school aged eight declaring he was now learning to play the cornet, his Mum and Dad sent him to the local band, Royston, where he started his brass banding career. After spells of playing principal cornet in Hertfordshire County Youth Band and with the City of Oxford Band, he joined Fulham for the first time in 2005, when he moved to London. A career sojourn to Birmingham took him away to a happy five year spell with the Langley Band in Black Country, but on returning to London in 2015, he rejoined his brass band home at Fulham and now sits in the sop chair!

Finally, Fulham welcomes Adam Funnel to a new seat. Adam is a PhD student at UCL, currently halfway through his degree in Electrical Engineering. Adam has a range of musical experience, particularly in concert bands and musical theatre. Despite playing the euphonium and trombone for over ten years, Fulham has provided his first taste of high quality banding since joining on euphonium  in 2015. Having really enjoyed his time with Fulham so far, he has moved to the 2nd Trombone seat and is a great addition to the section!

Fulham wishes all of our players in their new seats the best of luck and thanks them for their commitment to the band.

Fulham Brass Band welcomes applications for the position of Principal Horn. We’re an established First Section band with a regular schedule of 3-4 competitions a year and local community events. We are continually developing our self-promoted Spring and Autumn concerts through engaging world class soloists and inviting local groups to join us. We’re sympathetic to the work-life-band balance by rehearsing once a week (Monday 19:30-22:00) and we are well connected to the London Underground (Putney Bridge-Zone 2) and road network (10 minutes from both the Hammersmith flyover and South Circular).

For more information, please contact our Band Manager Chris on bandmanager@fulhambrassband.co.uk

The band has had a well deserved rest and is now back to rehearsing, after our successful concert with the Alle Choir. It was a great afternoon filled with fantastic music, all thanks to the hard work and commitment put in by John, the band and Alle Choir. Thanks must also go to everyone at St.Etheldreda’s church and all of our supporters who came to watch us!

In the past few weeks there have been some exciting changes in the band and we would like to welcome many new (and old) players to the band, with many of our vacancies being filled and some existing players changing seats. So here is the first instalment of the announcements of the new positions!

First of all, the band would like to welcome Laura Wormington to the Solo Cornet section. Laura began playing  in Appledore Junior Band aged seven, after watching her friend in the band and wanting a gold and green jacket of her  own. They gave her a cornet and taught her 5 notes and life as a brass bander began. At high school Laura took  up the trumpet and experimented in both jazz and classical playing, but remained loyal to her brass band roots. She joined Fulham when she moved to London for university, where she studies music at King’s College London. Laura is very much looking forward to playing and  competing with the band.

Next, we would like to welcome Alice Finn, who joins the band on 2nd cornet. Originally from Greater Manchester, Alice first made her brass banding debut with the Eagley Band, before moving to London to start her music degree at King’s College London. Most of her early experience was as an orchestral and big band trumpet player, and although she is fairly new to the brass banding world, her love of brass bands makes her a great addition to our banding team!

To the other end of the band now, and Fulham extends a warm welcome to our new Eb Bass player Matthew Homburg. Matthew is originally from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, and has played the E Flat Bass for five years. He began his brass banding career in the Tewit Youth Brass Band and also spent time helping several other local brass bands. Last year he moved to London to study at Imperial College London, where he played with the university wind band. We hope Matthew enjoys his return to banding and we wish him all the best in his Fulham career.

Finally, it is the debut of our new 2nd Euphonium Steven Williams, who has moved up one chair from 1st Baritone.  Steven recently returned to banding after living overseas for 8 years. He has worked in Thailand,  Malaysia and Egypt as the Head of Music in 3 International Schools. Before moving abroad, he  studied the Baritone Horn at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Whilst  studying, he played Solo Baritone and Solo Trombone for a Championship band in Yorkshire  called Pennine Brass. Steven now works as the Director of Music at a Prep School in Surrey.

We look forward to announcing more new players in the coming days!