The band enjoyed a busy lead up to Christmas and were delighted to see an audience filling St. Leonard's Church for our Christmas concert on the 17th December. We also enjoyed playing at the Christmas Fair and of course, under the Town Hall for the annual Carols on Christmas Eve.
At our first rehearsal back this week, we were pleased to welcome our new Conductor Ben Halstead, who got the band working immediately preparing for our next Concert. Ben Halstead grew up in Saddleworth, Greater Manchester and started to learn the cornet at the age of 9 through Oldham Borough Music Service. He studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD), under Dr Robert Childs, Chris Turner and Tom Hutchinson, and gained a BMus (Hons) in 2015.
Ben has been part of the brass band scene for many years and has been a member of Flowers Band, Desford Colliery Band and currently plays soprano cornet with Brunel Brass. After music college, Ben toured Australia with Grimethorpe Colliery Band and also performed at the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo in Canada. His instrumental exploits have seen him perform in some of the greatest concert halls in the World including; Symphony Hall, The Sage, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, St David’s Hall, The Wales Millennium and The Royal Albert Hall.
At our first rehearsal back this week, we were pleased to welcome our new Conductor Ben Halstead, who got the band working immediately preparing for our next Concert. Ben Halstead grew up in Saddleworth, Greater Manchester and started to learn the cornet at the age of 9 through Oldham Borough Music Service. He studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD), under Dr Robert Childs, Chris Turner and Tom Hutchinson, and gained a BMus (Hons) in 2015.
Ben has been part of the brass band scene for many years and has been a member of Flowers Band, Desford Colliery Band and currently plays soprano cornet with Brunel Brass. After music college, Ben toured Australia with Grimethorpe Colliery Band and also performed at the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo in Canada. His instrumental exploits have seen him perform in some of the greatest concert halls in the World including; Symphony Hall, The Sage, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, St David’s Hall, The Wales Millennium and The Royal Albert Hall.
Upon completion of his studies at RWCMD, Ben decided to join the British Army as a musician. He then served as a member of both The Band of the Prince of Wales’s Division and British Army Band Tidworth before gaining a position on the highly coveted British Army Bandmaster Course where he will graduate in the summer of 2023. Ben has received conducting tuition from some of the most sought-after professors in the United Kingdom; including Mark Herron, Professor John Traill and Professor Robin Browning.
Ben has achieved much success in the early years of conducting. He has been invited to conduct numerous Championship Section Brass Bands within the South of England and Wales and conducted the winning performance at the Midlands Entertainment Championships in 2019. As an incredibly passionate supporter of youth music, Ben also regularly works with youth ensembles.
Our next concert is on April 23rd in St. Leonard's Church as a celebration of St. George's Day. Please do visit our website https://www.watlingtonband.org.uk/ where you can see all the latest news from the band, sign up to receive information about concerts and buy tickets.
Ben has achieved much success in the early years of conducting. He has been invited to conduct numerous Championship Section Brass Bands within the South of England and Wales and conducted the winning performance at the Midlands Entertainment Championships in 2019. As an incredibly passionate supporter of youth music, Ben also regularly works with youth ensembles.
Our next concert is on April 23rd in St. Leonard's Church as a celebration of St. George's Day. Please do visit our website https://www.watlingtonband.org.uk/ where you can see all the latest news from the band, sign up to receive information about concerts and buy tickets.