Shirley Band appoints David Hirst as Principal Conductor
Shirley Band from Solihull in the West Midlands has appointed David Hirst to the role of Principal Conductor and signed a number of new players to its ranks.
David’s first concert with the first-section band was at Solihull School’s Bushell Hall, alongside guest soloist Mark Wilkinson, the celebrated principal cornet of Fodens Band, who also led a masterclass earlier in the day. The concert was held jointly with Solihull Youth Brass Band.
Joining the band are Mark Haworth on trombone, Bob Baggott on front-row cornet, Alan Smith on soprano-cornet, and Debbie Higham on back-row cornet, who are all former members of the band. Mark, Bob and Alan have in recent years all played with the championship-section Jaguar Land Rover Band, whilst Bob until recently played with Coventry Festival Band. Meanwhile, Debbie Higham has joined from Staffordshire Band. Also, following the departure of the band’s second Eb Bass player, 16-year-old Morgan Hart has been promoted to second Eb Bass. Morgan also plays with Solihull Youth Brass Band and is the son of the band’s Bb bass player, Richard Hart.
Brian Johnson, Shirley Band’s secretary, said: “Since David came board, the band has gone from strength to strength, and we’re really looking forward to what the future holds under his guidance and direction. We’re so excited to have a great mix of experienced players like Mark, Bob, Alan and Debbie re-joining the band; and we are so fortunate to have the blend of players we currently have, with several music graduates in the band, a number of long-serving players, as well as talented up and coming players like Morgan, and players like 15-year-old Becky Strentz, one of our front-row cornet players, who secured first repiano cornet at the Easter course of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.”
