Robert Howarth, Eb Bass
It was only a matter of time before I went from going to watch my Dad play in the band to playing in the band with him. I started cornet lessons when I was 7 and started playing with the training band not long after. I then moved to tenor horn for a while before Dad strolls up to me after a concert holding a tuba saying "Why dont you have a go on this?".
Not long after I started secondary school and due to school commitments I couldnt go to training band as much. After a few terms of lessons, however, I started tagging along to senior band rehearsals and having a go sat next to Dad (where, he will claim, I learnt everything I know) It wasnt much longer before I played in my first concert with the band, and after Graham arrived, my first contest.
While at school, I played in various wind bands and orchestras, and my experiences playing with the band really helped me in these ensembles (including knowing what to do when it all goes horribly wrong!). Playing with the band also gave me the confidence to stand up and play solos in front of large audiences and in my final year of school I performed Edward Gregsons Tuba Concerto in front of almost 700 people at the Albert Hall in Nottingham in my schools spring concert.
I am now studying for a degree at Nottingham University and still come to band practice when other commitments at University allow and I am looking forward to the challenge of playing in the third section next year
