Brighouse & Rastrick has announced the signing of Tom Smith as its new principal cornet.

Its comes less than a month after the young Cornish star was heading to Fairey Band in the same role — with the West Riding band now adding to a CV that already includes tenures at Camborne, the Cornwall Youth Band, Grimethorpe, Pemberton and the National Youth Band of Great Britain.

Ideal replacement

However, Brighouse certainly saw the player as the ideal replacement for New Zealander, Kyle Lawson, who has made the difficult decision to return home permanently in order to be closer to his family and return to the stability of a career with the New Zealand Army Band.

Thanks

Band Chairman, Ste Cavanagh told 4BR: "We would like to publicly thank Kyle for his tremendous service and wish him the very best for the future.

We're thrilled Tom has accepted our invitation to join on principal cornet. It's an exciting opportunity to work with Tom who we've been keen to work with for some time and look forward to starting the next chapter with Tom when circumstances allow."

Tom Smith hails from Cornwall and is currently completing his undergraduate performance degree at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tuition of Professor Roger Webster. Tom is a former member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and the Camborne and Cornwall Youth Brass Bands.

I'm keen to get working with the band, to push myself to be the best I can, and also eager to work with Prof David KingTom Smith

Thrilled

In response, Tom, who studies at the RNCM under Roger Webster and Richard Marshall said: "I'm thrilled to be joining Brighouse, a band I have always admired. Since a young age, this position is one that I have always aspired to.

I'm keen to get working with the band, to push myself to be the best I can, and also eager to work with Prof David King.

He added: "I am however saddened that this unmissable opportunity has come at the time it has, as I was thoroughly looking forward to working with the Fairey Band.

I would like to thank them for being so welcoming and giving me the opportunities they have. My best wishes go to the band and MD Adam Cooke."