David Read MBE
Sadly, the well respected and much admired David Read MBE passed away on Thursday 27th June at the age of 90. Although born in South Wales, David and his family settled in Askern South Yorkshire during his childhood. It was here that his passion for brass bands was ignited. As a cornet player he started at Askern Colliery before moving as a teenager to Carlton Main Frickley. After a spell in the Regimental Band of the Welsh Guards he returned briefly to Frickley before joining Munn & Felton's (Footwear) Band in 1960. It was here that played as second man to his great friend John Berryman during which time he won National and World titles as well as the Quartet Championships of Great Britain. He later became the band’s principal cornet and was Champion Cornet Player of Great Britain in 1973.
In addition to his playing career David also branched into conducting, adjudicating and education; eventually becoming Head of Brass for Huntingdon and Peterborough County Council. He also gained his FLCM, FTCL, LRAM and ALCM. Despite continuing to play regularly with bands well into his 80s, it is perhaps his role as an adjudicator that he is most recently best remembered for. From his first appointment in 1973 to his last at the British Open Spring Festival in 2014 he judged at well over 700 events in the UK and abroad including: youth and unregistered competitions to the European Championships, British Open, National Championships of Great Britain, All England Masters and Grand Shield. He was presented with the Iles Medal in 1983, the English Masters Dedicated Service Award in 1996 and an MBE for Services to Music in 2009. Thoughts and best wishes are sent to his family and friends as the brass band movement mourns the loss of a true icon. A full tribute will appear in the next issue of BBW magazine.
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