Brackley brass band appoints experienced conductor ahead of 50th anniversary year

Dave Howard is a fourth-generation "brass bander" who started playing cornet with the Cwmbran Band in South Wales at the age of six. He also held the position of principal baritone in the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.

After leaving school he began working at the BBC as a sound engineer, devising and running the ‘Welsh Brewers Brass Band Entertainment Contest’, while also running a weekly radio programme called "Sounding Brass" and resurrecting the "Radio Wales Brass Band of the Year Competition".

Dave, who recently retired in Towcester, is devoting a significant amount of his time to the band and is eager for the Brackley and District Band to grow and play an important role in the life of the local community.

The band rehearses on Fridays between 7.45pm and 9.45pm at the band’s clubhouse on 2 Draymans Walk in Brackley town centre.

On Friday January 13, the band is inviting anyone who would like to give being in a brass band a try to come and meet Dave and the rest of the band and find out more information.

The band recently received funding from the Midcounties Co-operative Community Fund to refurbish a number of its instruments, making now a better time than ever for new members to join. There are also possibilities for people to join the band who don’t have access to their own instruments.