Saturday March 25th marks the 100th birthday of Dennis Masters, who holds the accolade of being the oldest National Championship title winning conductor in the UK.

National Champion

Born on 25th March 1923, Dennis led the Langley Band to success at the 1957 Second Section National Championship of Great Britain playing Eric Ball's 'Four Preludes'.

On that occasion at Kensington Town Hall he competed against the likes of established conductors such Tom Atkinson, Noel Thorpe and a certain Walter Hargreaves.

During a quite remarkable career, in which he conducted Langley for 46 years, he also gained many other conducting accolades as well as being awarded the Iles Medal for services to the brass movement in 1985.

His CV includes five Midlands Regional Championship wins as well as victory at the lucrative Wills Regional Championship, the Nottingham Championship and the Excelsior Festival of Music. His first victory came as far back in 1951, his last at the Dudley Zoo Brass Band Festival in 1985.

The Langley Band has marked the countdown to the milestone with a wonderful series of snippets from his career4BR

Pride of Youth

He was also the successful conductor of the Ransome & Marles Band which he led to a fine runner-up finish at the 1970 National Championship of Great Britain — playing somewhat appropriately given his forthcoming birthday, 'Pride of Youth'. The band also claimed a fifth place finish at the British Open in 1969 on 'Spectrum'.

The Langley Band has marked the countdown to the milestone with a wonderful series of snippets from his career — one that on March 25th is sure to be celebrated by former players and supports of all the bands he helped over the years.

Find out more

To find out more about Dennis go to the Langley Band Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/langleyband