The Tutors

Brian Minear - Music Co-ordinator

Brian Minear is the 4th generation of a Brass band family, and commenced his Brass Band life at an early age with Stenalees Band, having been taught the Cornet by his father.  

He soon became a member of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band, progressing to the Principal Cornet seat, a position held for 4 years. In the Cornwall Youth Band he played under Dr Denis Wright, T.J. Powell, Eric Ball, Malcolm Arnold and Geoffrey Brand.

Brian was invited to join the St Dennis Band in 1962 and played with them for a period of almost 20 years, during the “Eddie Williams” era .when they were the top Band in The West of England.

Brian progressed to position of Principal Cornet and later the Band’s Solo Euphonium, playing with them at Belle Vue on the three occasions they competed at The British Open, and at The National Finals in The Royal Albert Hall on eleven occasions, being the Solo Euphonium Player in 1978 when the Band gained its 6th place.

For a short while in the 1970’s Brian was the Bandmaster at St Dennis. He has received 4 Prince of Wales medals, specially minted each time a Band gains a hat trick of Royal Trophy wins at the Bugle Bandsmens Festival.

In 2001 he was appointed Musical Director of St Dennis Band, when they were a 4th Section Band, since when the Band has achieved considerable Contest successes.

Brian has now served over 50 years in Brass Bands.

Gareth Churcher LTCL(hons)

Gareth was born in 1983 and started in music at the age of six when he started to play the piano. He was taught by Catherine Loyd-Leach, who soon after, suggested to Gareth that he should learn a second instrument. Gareth gained a scholarship place with the county music service enabling to learn the Trombone with John Austin. He then started playing with his local brass band in Falmouth and soon progressed to solo trombone. After gaining a place at Cornwall Youth Brass and meeting the infamous Derek Greenwood, Albert Chappel and other eminent characters, Gareth earned himself the seat of solo trombone with St Keverne Youth and Senior bands.

It is with the St Keverne Youth band and Derek Greenwood that Gareth has achieved the most as a player, as the band won the BBC2 Youth Band of the Year award in 1999 and 2001, the National Youth Championship in 1998, 2000, and 2002 and an Outstanding Performance Award at the Music for Youth Festival at the Royal Albert Hall in 1999.

It was also through the St Keverne Band that Gareth met his wife Claire, the band's solo horn player and also former solo horn of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band, they were married in 2004 and Claire walked down the aisle to a piece written especially for the occasion by Gareth which would later become the first movement of Gareth's first test piece for brass band,'Episodes for brass'.

Gareth started to take a real interest in arranging and even more so, composing. His first test piece for brass band 'Episodes for Brass' has been played at the Pontins brass band championships. He is currently busy composing a new test piece for brass band. Gareth has also arranged for choral and various other intriguing ensembles. He also in his spare time conducts a male voice chamber choir, which he finds thoroughly enjoyable.

Gareth works as a peripatetic brass teacher for the County Music Service and hopes to further his composing in the future.

David Coad

At the age of 11, David joined the Penwethers School Band, which was conducted by Frank Moore, one of the founding fathers of the CYBB. David confesses to having found playing in the band preferable to lessons! His progress was rapid and, after a short spell on trombone, David moved to E flat bass with St Agnes Band. A former member of CYBB, David has played with many of the Cornish brass bands and has played in the Championship section of the National Brass Band Championship Finals 3 times.

Whilst David enjoys the camaraderie and teamwork involved with banding, his musical interests extend beyond the world of brass bands. He played for the former Cornwall Symphony Orchestra. David was appointed the Musical Director of the City of Truro Wind Orchestra in September 2006 after a time as its Deputy MD.

Simon Dobson

Simon Dobson grew up in a brass banding family in Cornwall. He began his musical career at the age of eight he joined Lostwithiel Brass '88 moving on to Bodmin Town Band in 1993.

Whilst at school Simon began to compose and after gaining an 'A' for his A-level music he won a scholarship to study composition under Timothy Salter at the Royal College of Music in London. During his time at the RCM Simon worked as a freelance conductor and wrote for some of the country's leading ensembles, including the RCM Symphony Orchestra, Brass10 and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, this led to his works being performed to critical acclaim on BBC Radio 3.

In 2002 he won the title of European Young Composer of the Year for his work entitled 'Four Sketches: A Homage to Britten'. Simon has also written test pieces for the 2003 Regional Brass Band Championships, the 2005 National Youth Championships and the 2007 European Brass Band Championships.

After Graduating to the sounds of his own especially composed fanfare in 2004, Simon moved back to his native Cornwall and began working as a teacher, conductor and composer.

Simon has been the resident conductor of the Mount Charles Youth Brass Band since the beginning of this year and is also a Tutor with The Cornwall Youth Brass Band.

Aaron Harvey

Aaron began playing the Cornet with the Mount Charles band in 1974. After four years he joined the famous St.Dennis band, moving through the ranks of the youth and senior bands to attain the position of principal cornet, a highlight of which was a performance at the National Finals in the Royal Albert Hall in 1985.

After a short spell in the Midlands, playing with a number of Championship section bands in the area, Aaron returned to his native Cornwall, subsequently taking up the principal cornet position with the Bodmin Town band in 1988. Thus began the most successful period of his banding career to date as the band grew in status gaining a reputation as one of the UK’s foremost combinations. The band competed at most of the major contests in the country, including five appearances at the National Finals in the Royal Albert Hall. Interspersed with these competitions, the band made many broadcasts and recordings as well as performing at prestigious concerts throughout the country.

Personal successes in that time have included being named best cornet (5 times) and best player (3 times) at the WEBF (Bugle) contest; best cornet at the CBBA contest (3 times); and best cornet in 3 venues at the Whit Friday March contests, in and around Manchester.

During his time with Bodmin Town Band he also accepted the position of bandmaster, deputising in the absence of the Resident conductor. It was through this and work as a tutor with the Cornwall Youth Brass Band, that he caught the conducting ‘bug’.

As well as a tutor of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band, Aaron also is the Musical Director of the St Austell Band.

Darren Hawken

Darren started playing the trombone at the age of twelve and quickly established himself as principal trombonist of the Mount Charles Youth Band, the position he held for six years. During this time, he was also principal trombone with the Cornwall Youth Brass Band winning no less than four awards, the most prestigious being the Albert Chappell shield for player of the year 2001-2002.

In 2001, Darren had great pleasure in accepting a position with the Bodmin Town Band. During his four year spell with the band, he had the great privilege to play under some of the finest brass band conductors such as Dr Nicholas Childs, Dr Roy Newsome and Russell Gray to name but a few.

It is with Bodmin that Darren achieved a great ambition of his and that was to play at the National Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall. In 2003, Darren left Cornwall to take up a performance degree course at the Royal Welsh College of Music in Cardiff, under the tutorship of the then Head of Brass and Percussion Christopher Mowat and Head of Brass Band Studies Dr Robert Childs.

During his time at the college, he has been involved with the college Brass Band, Symphony Orchestra and Trombone Choir as well as a founder member of the quintet 'Castle Brass'. Darren will from September, be completing his four year BMus course and hoping to make a career in music teaching or conducting. As well as a brass player and conductor, Darren is a core member of the BBC National Chorus of Wales where he has just recently appeared alongside the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the 2006 BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall and also still remains an active pianist and accompanist for many brass players and vocalists.

It is back in November 2005 that Darren's conducting took a serious step forward. He was invited by the St.Breward band in Cornwall to conduct them at the South West Annual Championship held in Torquay.

On this his contest debut at the age of twenty one, they were victorious. Soon after, Darren became involved with the Burry Port Town Band in which he helped prepare the band for the Welsh Regional Championships where they qualified to take part in the National Finals in London later in October.

Darren has now become a well known freelance conductor, not just in Wales but the South West and is delighted to be conducting St.Pinnock at the National Finals at Harrogate in September.

Garry Lannie

Garry began playing cornet with the Penryn School band and the Penryn Concert Band. He joined the Cornwall Youth Brass Band on cornet, shortly after moving to tenor horn.

While playing for the school band they attended the National Festival Of Music for Youth on three occasions and he also attended this festival with the Cornwall Youth Brass, winning the festival and performing at the Schools Prom Concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Garry was promoted to the Principle horn seat of the CYBB which he held until he "retired" from the band being too old to continue.

During this time Garry Joined the St Austell Band on Solo Horn and attended many contests with them including the Masters Grand Shield and the National finals at the Albert Hall. In 1986 he won the prize of best horn player at the West of England Bandsmen Festival At Bugle and the band also achieved a hat trick in 1987 at this contest. After a brief spell at St Dennis attending two national finals (winning the area by Seven Points) Garry joined the Camborne Town Band and enjoyed great success wining many contests and enjoying some fun banding.

He "retired" from playing after a spell of five years with Camborne and two months later returned to St. Austell!! Garry moved to Bodmin Band in 1997 and it was during this period that the band excelled at all contests, winning Yeovil twice and gaining two third places at the Grand Shield along with appearances at major championships.

In 2003 Garry played for St Dennis (his home village) at the Nationals and stayed until the stick itch became too much to resist!!

Garry became the MD of Launceston Town Band and enjoyed some success with the band including a 3rd place at the regional championships. Garry was invited to take the St. Breward Band for a couple of rehearsals in 2007 and is still there now as Musical Director.

The band enjoyed some great results in 2007 with a 2nd place at the regional finals, winning Bugle, 4th place in the open section at Truro and 4th place at the National Finals.

Garry has worked with other bands including St Pinnock, Bodmin, St Austell, Liskeard and Mount Charles Youth. He is also a Tutor of the Cornwall Youth Band and he also teaches privately.

John Mitchell GTCL, LTCL, PGCE

John first began performing with brass bands at the age of 10, beginning his career with the Carharrack & St Day Silver Band and later performing with Camborne Town Band, Cornwall Youth Brass Band & the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.

After leaving Cornwall to study Percussion and Timpani at Trinity College of Music, John performed with the Averly & Newham, Britannia Building Society & Black Dyke Mills brass bands.  After graduating from TCM, John performed professionally with the English National Ballet Orchestra, Royal National Theatre, Bournemouth Sinfionetta, various West End musicals and pop artists such as Bjork and Faithless. Whilst performing within London John also held teaching positions with the Kent Music School and Kent College , Canterbury.

In 2008 John was appointed by the London College of Music to work as a specialist Drum Kit and Orchestral Percussion examiner for LCM graded music examinations.  His compositions for percussion have been selected and published by the London College of Music for their new 2009 percussion and drum kit syllabus.

Since returning to Cornwall to live John divides his full time teaching commitments between teaching Drums & Percussion within county secondary schools and lecturing on the BTEC and A Level music courses at Cornwall College.  John is currently the course manager for the BTEC National Award in Band Musicianship at Cornwall College , a course he specifically designed for Brass Band musicians. As part of his teaching professional development John is currently studying for a Masters Degree in music education.

John still performs regularly as a professional percussionist within theatre productions, symphony orchestras, jazz ensembles and function bands throughout the South West and is a reserve percussionist with the Mount Charles Band.

Alan Pope

Alan was born in Redruth and began learning to play the cornet at the age of 5 with Tommy Martin at Lanner. He joined Carharrack and St Day Band and then moved to St Austell Town Band, competing with them in the National Finals.

In 1974 he joined Camborne Town Band, remaining there until 1977 when he joined the Army, spending two years training at the Band of the RAC Junior Leaders Regiment in Bovington, Dorset, and was posted to Germany in 1979 with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards. Study at the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall under Professor Ian McKintosh followed and he was awarded the prestigious Cousins Memorial Parchment for exceptional proficiency on the cornet.

Following his Army career he accepted the position of Musical Director of The Camborne Youth Band in January 1999. In May 2002, he was awarded the Camborne Town Council Plaque for services to music with the youth of Camborne Youth Band. Since 2003 Alan has also been a Tutor with The Cornwall Youth Brass Band.

In 2004 he was awarded the Cornish Gorseth Trevada Shield for the encouragement of music making by young people and was also named 'Cornwall's Best Contributor to Music' in 2007 by St Austell Brewery and Pirate FM.

Jeremy Willcock F.L.C.M, L.L.C.M, A.L.C.M, Dip Orch Studies (Uni Lon)

Jeremy started learning the cornet with the late Eddie Williams and became a member of St.Dennis Band.

He left Cornwall to study music at London College of Music, Royal College of Music and the University of London. He then worked in London for many years playing and teaching trumpet/cornet including Junior Guildhall and The Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Having returned to Cornwall Jeremy is currently Musical Director of the St.Pinnock Band and Mount Charles Youth Band.