HELLESDON & SPROWSTON BRASS
of Norwich in the County of Norfolk
Ian Clarke
Ian has been our Musical Director since January 2008, and
below writes a little about himself.
"Following
my success as a recorder player and a slightly dubious vocal duet with my
sister, the school decided that as short and asthmatic, I was undoubtedly suited
to the bass trombone! And so at the age of 10 my love affair with brass
instruments began. It became apparent that having short arms was not entirely
suited to the trombone so a switch to trumpet followed one year later.
Staying
with the trumpet and then the cornet continued until the age of 14 when I begged
for the position of 3rd 3rd Cornet with Cawston Band.
After a couple of years on 2nd 3rd cornet and occasional
appearances as 1st 3rd cornet a move to the baritone
followed. This coincided with my first appearance at the National Brass Band
Championships of
Great Britain
! What made this all the more special and nerve wracking was that it was held at
the Royal Albert Hall. Quite what happened that day I am not sure, but a week
later I found myself playing Bb Bass! Nearly 25 years later and apart from a
couple of brief flirtations with the Eb Bass that is where I have stayed. Same
instrument and same band”.
Highlights of my playing / conducting career have been:
 | Playing
at the Royal Albert Hall
|
| Playing
in several National Championship Finals
|
| Playing
under illustrious conductors including David Read, John Berryman and Harry
Mortimer.
|
| Playing
in concerts with the Champion Bands of the
USA
and
Australia
.
|
| Playing
overseas.
|
| Besides
being a player at Cawston I am also the Band Chairman, a position I have
held since 2000. I also am the Vice Chairman of the East Anglian Brass Band
Association.
|
| It
was in 2003 that I began conducting with Enterprise Brass who of course
eventually became part of Hellesdon and Sprowston and I was delighted to be
their first conductor, stepping down in 2005.
|
| Since
then I have also conducted Dereham Band, with whom I visited
Germany
and tried to compeer a concert entirely in German!
|
| Outside
of banding I am a keen supporter of
Norwich
City
and attend most home matches in my capacity as a Steward. I live in
Norwich
with my partner Debs and her 2 daughters.
|
| I
am delighted to be back with Hellesdon and Sprowston as they were my first
conducting position and I am looking forward to a long and successful
partnership.
|
