MFL
Wedding Brass are one of the leading brass ensembles in the South
East of England. This
band is traditionally a five piece ensemble, but can easily cater
to larger or smaller requests depending on your preference, budget
and venue. MFL Wedding
Brass is available to play for your wedding ceremony, drinks reception
and dinner. This ensemble can perform with amazing flexibility
providing an elegant, sublime background embiance, a fantastic
fanfare or a lively dance.
"Just
to say many thanks for the band on Friday. They were excellent
and we will certainly bear them in mind when we start planning
our next event. Please pass our thanks on to them. Yours sincerely,
John"
Some
of the MFL Brass Band's premier members include:
1st
Trumpet - Stuart began his musical career as an army musician
in 1980 at the Household Division Junior Musicians Wing, Pirbright
with a further year at the Royal Military School of Music Kneller
Hall. Whilst there he won the Frank Wright cornet soloist competition
and the Worshipful Company of Musicians Bronze Medal for outstanding
instrumentalists. He performed many solos on the bandstand during
the summer concert season and was also part of the Kneller Hall
fanfare trumpeters that performed at St Paul's Cathedral, the
Barbican Centre and the Royal Festival Hall. From 1983 until late
2006 Stuart served as a member of the Band of the Scots Guards
and during that time performed at venues the world over, including
Columbia Artists tours of the USA and Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
Hong Kong, Germany and Monte Carlo. After just three years with
the band he was made principal trumpet, subsequently becoming
leader of the fanfare trumpeters and dance band as well as soloist
within the band. Whilst with the band Stuart performed at every
major state occasion including Trooping of the Colour, the Cenotaph,
Festival of Remembrance and seven times at the Edinburgh Military
Tattoo. In 2002 Stuart was appointed Band Sergeant playing leading
roles in both, the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen
Mother and Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Trumpet
- Gemma started playing the trumpet aged eight and was taught
by Jock McKenzie. She became a prominent member of both the area
and county youth brass bands, with whom she performed across the
country and also abroad. During her two years as Principal Cornet
with the Hampshire County Youth Band, Gemma had the opportunity
to perform as a soloist, including playing Harry James' Concerto
for Trumpet at the Royal Festival Hall. In 2002 she moved to London
to commence her studies at the Royal College of Music, where she
gained her BMus (Hons). Here she studied trumpet with Paul Archibald
and Andy Crowley, and also studied Natural Trumpet with Neil Brough.
Gemma has also performed in masterclasses with several prestigious
trumpeters including Hakan Hardenberger (at the Wigmore Hall),
Crispian Steele-Perkins, and Florien Klingler. In 2006, she was
also selected to perform in the Maurice Andre Trumpet Competition
at the Paris Conservatoire.
Since
graduating from the RCM in July 2006, Gemma has been building
her career as a Professional Freelance Trumpeter. As well as performing
with a variety of ensembles she performs with orchestras, including
pit orchestras for shows, and is involved in educational workshops,
teaching and tutoring. She also performs with singer songwriters,
notably Charlie Winston, with whom she has played at various major
venues, including Shepherd's Bush Empire and The Eden Project.
Gemma has also held posts around the world - in 2004, she was
Principal Trumpet of the Bombay Chamber Orchestra.
Trumpet
- Gavin Mann was born in Norwich and started playing the cornet
at the age of seven with the Salvation Army. After completing
his 'A' Level studies Gavin enlisted into the British Army. Upon
leaving the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall where
Gavin studied with Paul Archibald he joined the Regimental Band
of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment. In December 1995,
after a successful audition, Gavin transferred into the Regimental
Band of H.M. Irish Guards. During his time in the British Army
Gavin has toured around the world in places including Australia,
New Zealand, Italy, Egypt, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Germany,
Northern Ireland and France.
Trumpet
- Doninic began his studies on Trumpet at the Birmingham conservatoire.
Whilst there he also studied Natural Trumpet and then went onto
to do a Post-Graduate at Trinity College of Music London. Upon
completetion Dominic continue his studies on Natural Trumpet studying
at The Schola Cantorum in Basel. Dominic now combines his busy
freelance carrer as a Freelance Trumpet player with The National
Symphony New London Orchestra, English Touring Opera and Chamber
Orchestra of Wales. Whilst on Baroque Trumpet Dominic freelance
with The English Consort, Capriccio Basel, Norwegian Baroque Orchestra.
Swelink players and Texas Baroque Trumpets amongst others As well
as working within orchestras, Dominic also works within Shows
as well as a variety of other ensembles. Along
with performing Dominic also teaches trumpet in London, working
for a number of schools and has also given a masterclass at Aberleen
university, Texas USA. Dominic performs with many of our ensembles
as well as performing at wedding ceremonies.
Trombone
- Don grew up in the brass band tradition in the west of Scotland
and joined the Royal College of Music in 2000 after a short spell
in HM Royal Marines Band in Portsmouth studying trombone with
the late Don Lusher. At the RCM, he studied trombone with Peter
Bassano and euphonium with Andrew Fawbert. He
played with the Regimental Band of The Coldstream Guards for 12
years, during which time he toured Japan, Australia, and America;
he also played at high profile events such as the Trouping of
the Colour, Festival of Remembrance, The Queen Mother's funeral
and The Lord Mayors Parade.
French
Horn - Jonathan first studied the French horn at Purley Grammar
School near Croydon, where he attained his Grade VIII qualification
at the tender age of fifteen. He began his career as a professional
musician by joining the Armed Forces in the Band of the Irish
Guards in 1976. London
venues include the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Barbican
and the London Palladium, as well as high profile military duties
such as Investitures, State Banquets, Guard Mounts at Buckingham
Palace and The Queen's Birthday Parade. He has conducted in front
of The Queen at St Paul's Cathedral and with Concert Bands within
the UK and Europe. Jonathan is also 1st Horn of the Croydon Symphony
Orchestra, where he has been a regular member for nearly 30 years
and continues his freelance career within operatic societies,
orchestras & ensembles.
Tuba
- Geoff served for six years with the Band of the Royal Regiment
of Fusiliers as a tuba player performing in the Trad Band, German
Band, Fanfare Team and also as soloist. Whilst serving, Geoff
served in the Gulf War in 1990 as well as the massed bands concerts
in Halle Munsterland, Bielerfeld Massed Bands as well as tours
of the UK, Canada, Holland, Italy, The Festival of Remembrance
and the Lord Mayor's parade Upon leaving the Army he then served
a further four years with the Territorial Army. He founded Premier
Brass in 1995 after leaving the army, and travels around the country
within all the groups performing at many events, both private
and public. Geoff also freelances as a tuba player within chamber
ensembles brass bands, jazz bands, Bavarian Bands and orchestras.
He performed the Concerto for Bass Tuba by Ralph Vaughan Williams
in 2000 and premiered (Little) Fool in a Trance by Chris Matthew
Haines in 2001.
