Category: News

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!

Fulham Brass Band (L&SC First Section) are seeking a strong Bass trombone, Bb Bass, 1st Baritone and Percussionists to add to our existing line up. We are an ambitious and sociable band and welcome applications from motivated and competent individuals. As a central London Brass Band based in Fulham (rehearsing on Monday nights) we have a large group of players from around the world, and are a young, hard-working team with a strong desire to succeed in national competitions plus a busy calendar of exciting projects! For further information please contact Chris Wiggins (Band Manager) in confidence on enquiries@fulhambrassband.co.uk

Fulham Brass Band (L&SC First Section) are seeking a strong Bass trombone, 2nd Euphonium and Percussionists to add to our existing line up. We are an ambitious and sociable band and welcome applications from motivated and competent individuals. As a central London Brass Band based in Fulham (rehearsing on Monday nights) we have a large group of players from around the world, and are a young, hard-working team with a strong desire to succeed in national competitions plus a busy calendar of exciting projects! For further information please contact Chris Wiggins (Band Manager) in confidence on enquiries@fulhambrassband.co.uk

On Sunday 23rd October at St Etheldreda’s Church, Fulham Brass Band will be presenting an exciting concert featuring an afternoon of brass band and acappella music . The Church and Band are delighted to welcome The Alle Choir to perform with us. We guarantee that it will be an enticing afternoon of eclectic music, by some of the most influential and well-known composers of all time such as Wagner, Ray Farr, Goff Richards and Quincy Jones.

This concert will be a fantastic local event so please do come and support your local brass band, and hear music from a very talented choir!

 Venue Details: St Etheldreda’s Church, 528 Fulham Palace Road, London, SW6 6JF

Time: 3pm

Tickets*: £10 Adults, £5 Students and £1 Under 16s.

Refreshments available

*The proceeds will be shared between the Band and the Church to help finance its new extension at St Clement’s , SW6.

Fulham Brass Band have had a busy few months; we moved to a new rehearsal venue at St Etheldreda’s in Putney Bridge. We had a fantastic concert in our new home with the spectacular Davur Magnussen (Royal Scottish National Orchestra) where we had one of the best Fulham Band audiences in recent years! In June the band went on a trip to Cornwall for the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival in Bugle which involved a brewery visit, some playing and a band surf trip! We narrowly missed out on the top spot but were delighted that our fabulous principal cornet player Clare Pitt won the Best Player Award!!

The Band are continuing to work hard over the Summer months but have welcomed some new members to the Fulham Band Family in recent months. 26 year old Thomas Brotschi is from Switzerland and has played the trombone for 16 years. A couple of years after joining a wind band in his hometown he discovered Brass Band music through a summer camp. He then joined the Brass Band Solothurn and in the following years he became more involved in the organizational work of the band. He also helped out in Symphonic Orchestras, and wind/brass bands whenever help was needed. Joining him in the lower end of the band is Steven Williams who has 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 Hornat 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. An interesting fact about his Baritone is that the serial number is one number higher than our 2nd Baritone Players instrument (Simon Keen!). They were made on the same day and have come back together to play at Fulham Brass. What are the chances of that? Steven now works as the Director of Music at a Prep School in Surrey.

Welcome to both players! Want to join us?

We are seeking a strong Bass trombone, 2nd cornet, Eb and Bb Bass to add to our existing line up. We are an ambitious and sociable band and welcome applications from motivated and competent individuals. As a central London Brass Band based in Fulham (rehearsing on Monday nights) we have a large group of players from around the world, and are a young, hard-working team with a strong desire to succeed in national competitions plus a busy calendar of exciting projects! For further information please contact Matt Pitt (Band Manager) in confidence on enquiries@fulhambrassband.co.uk

We are seeking percussionists to add to our existing line up. We are an ambitious and sociable band and welcome applications from motivated and competent individuals. As a central London Brass Band based in Fulham (rehearsing on Monday nights) we have a large group of players from around the world, and are a young, hard-working team with a strong desire to succeed in national competitions plus a busy calendar of exciting projects! For further information please contact Matt Pitt (Band Manager) in confidence on enquiries@fulhambrassband.co.uk

Come to Fulham to see this special concert on Sunday 8th May at St Etheldreda’s Church in Fulham. Guest soloist Davur Magnussen (principal trombone of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra) will perform a new transcription of the Grondhal Concerto, Bluebells of Scotland and Pure Imagination (from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). It will be a fantastic afternoon of music making!