Quality counts at Becontree

6-Feb-2006
Scotsman Alan Duguid heads the list of new players at Becontree.

Becontree Brass Band, “2nd Best Band in the London Borough of Redbridge”, are pleased to announce through 4br some quality signings!

Alan Duguid has joined the band on Solo Cornet, and will also take on the role of Assistant Musical Director- working with MD Graham Sheldon. Alan moved to London in January 2006 after studying briefly for 3 months in Tokyo and is currently the MD of the Woodbridge Excelsior Band. He chose to join Becontree as the monthly subs are cheap, and because he can’t go anywhere else as he is currently playing the MD’s own cornet!

'The band are particularly looking forward to the forthcoming area contest in March, and are hoping to improve on their 10th place at last years contest- their first in the 1st Section'

~ Becontree Brass

The band also welcomes Jon Bennett on Soprano cornet. Jon started his musical career at the age of 13, playing trombone in the school brass band. He then moved to cornet, ending up finally on Soprano Cornet. From 1975 to 1981 he played Soprano Cornet with the Romford Band, which sadly is no longer in existence. Whilst still at school, Jon became an associate member of the London College of Music (ALCM) and is also an associate member of the Performing Rights Society (PRS).

Well played Steve

The band would like to publicly to say “Well played, Steve!” to former Soprano player Steve Stokes. There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that Steve has moved onto flugel because he was losing sleep (and hair!) over the Soprano solo in ‘Voyage of Discovery’!

The band are particularly looking forward to the forthcoming area contest in March, and are hoping to improve on their 10th place at last years contest- their first in the 1st Section. Strengthening has recently taken place, in particular in the cornet section- where only one member of the existing section took place in last year’s event! The band is also fielding a new improved horn line up this year. Sadly our troms, euphs/bari’s, and basses remain the same- but we can’t let that get us down too much!

2006 promises to be a busy year for the band, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. A CD launch is planned for later in the year, together with prestigious concerts taking place in Ilford, Bournemouth, Leigh on Sea, and Barking.