MBE Honour for Beckley

Duncan Beckley has been named in the King's Birthday Honours List and will receive an MBE for his outstanding service to brass bands. Having grown up in Yorkshire, Duncan’s career in banding has been prolific, including over 100 contest wins, beginning with the Warren Youth Band in 1978. A member of The Royal College of Music and a Fellow of Trinity College of Music, he gained his degree in Music from Sheffield University. Highly regarded as a qualified teacher, he also has an MA in Education from Leeds University and is a JP.

He was the Musical Director of the Newstead Band for 27 years, but is equally at home competing at local youth contests or prestigious events such as the British Open Championships. In 2022 he was presented with the Mortimer Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians in recognition of his pioneering work in promoting social inclusion in the brass band movement both in youth and adult education as well as for his work with community bands.

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