Cornet Section
Principal Cornet
Tracey Bennett
Tracey, a graduate of the London College of Music and Media, learnt to play cornet aged seven and achieved grade eight at 13. She was principal cornet with Ocean Brass for several years and also occupies the principal chair at Abbey Brass on the Isle of Wight as well as with Gosport Solent Brass.
Solo Cornet
Ian Warner
Ian joined Portsmouth's-based Victory Brass shortly after its formation, whilst studying the Trumpet. After a short spell with Luckett's Travel Band work commitments dictated taking several years away from playing. Settling in Kent, Ian spent 10 years with The Medway Band, and also held the 1st Trumpet Seat with Invicta Wind and Canterbury Orchestras, before moving onto Flugel Horn after another short sabbatical. He joined GSB in 2024 after relocation back to Hampshire. When Ian isn't busy with the Civil Service in London, he particularly enjoys cycle touring.
Solo Cornet
Dave Edwards
Busy composing my Biog .. coming very soon!
Solo Cornet
Kate Burrows
Kate is married with 3 children and has a piano tuning business. There isn't an instrument that she can't play! She loves to drink tea after rehearsals and can occasionally be tempted with half a Lager!
Soprano Cornet
Kevin Hughes
Busy composing my Biog .. coming very soon!
Repiano Cornet
Mick Goulden
From Manchester, Mick has been a keen Trumpeter from the age of nine, joining the Army as a musician at 16, a career that spanned the next 10 years. Since then, Mick has been a Freelance Trumpeter and says he has "never looked back".
Mick brings a definite fortississimo dynamic to rehearsals!
Cornet
David Gray
David says he was lucky to have been at school when music was encouraged, and was in the same school band as the now legendary Soprano Player, Kevin Crockford. David was briefly a member of Solent Youth Concert Band and a founding member of Portsmouth's RBL Victory Brass. He has returned to Brass Banding in recent years having spent much time music-making in the Royal Navy volunteer Military Bands. David thrives on the entertainment and social aspects of Banding, and plays trupmet in Starlight Big Band and Spinnaker Brass. In his spare time, David is a keen sailor and is a powerboat & dinghy Senior Sailing Instructor.
David doesn't have a fixed seat in the Cornet section and will play wherever he is needed to.
2nd Cornet
Lorraine Warren
Lorraine (aka Lolly) started playing the cornet aged nine in Victory Brass. She has played in multiple brass bands over the years, but the fondest memories are of being in Solent Concert Band, especially when playing on the IOW Ferry in a film with Gerard Depardieu! After a long break Lolly returned to banding in 2022. She enjoys travel and general shenanigans with her sister Karen who plays Eb Bass.
Lolly is our current Players' Rep, and if you turn up to a rehearsal ill-equipped she will save your day as our current Pencil Monitor!
3rd Cornet
Steve Young
Beginning his musical journey learning the Trumpet, aged 10, Steve was actively involved in his Secondary School Swing Band and Concert Orchestra, as well as forming and conducting the school Junior Swing Band. Steve was a member of South Berkshire Youth Brass Band, and had the chance to play in The Royal Albert Hall as part of the National Festival of Music for Youth.
Now settled with his family in Hampshire, after University Studies and work in South Wales, and following a break in playing for 22 years, Steve joined GSB in 2019, re-ignitinig his love for Brass Banding and music-making. He works as a Senior General Manager in the Hospitality Sector, and is a trained cocktail mixologist!
Steve is our current Social Secretary.
3rd Cornet
Tony Rose
Tony joined the GSB training band in 2008 to learn to play the Cornet, at 54! A stable back row player in the main band now, Tony loves banding as his hobby, as well as a love for cycling, watching tribute acts, and, of course, good beer! He's retired & married to Helen, with 4 Daughters who have all now flown the nest.
Tony is our current Librarian and keeps our amazing portfolio of pieces in fine order. He also acts as our Liason with the RNA.
Horn Section
Flugel Horn
Bekki Collis
Bekki began playing Cornet aged seven with Camborne Youth Band, under the direction of Alan pope MBE. She moved to Soprano Cornet at 13, holding this seat in Cornwall Youth Brass for 6 years. In 2010 Bekki began studying Instrumental & Vocal Teaching at the University of Chichester, as well as representing England in a Youth Brass contest in Austria, and to New Zealand for their National Championships, playing with the North Shore Brass. Bekki started the Basingstoke Silver Training Band in 2017, moving to Conductor of the main band 2 years later. Since moving to Hampshire Bekki has also played with Spinnaker Brass and Alder Valley Brass. She joined Gosport Solent Brass in 2019 on Flugel, and is a registered Manager of an Adult's Learning Disability Service.
Bekki is GSB's Safeguarding Lead, along with Mark Rooke.
Solo Horn
Mark Rooke
Mark began playing whilst still wearing short trousers, so anytime from the age of two until about now.
Mark's only musical milestone is attaining Grade 3 on the trumpet (just a pass, not even a merit). He is a Civil Servant, if you can call that a living these days.
A fun fact is Mark wears Size 10 shoes (both feet), he is allergic to semiquavers and stupid (complicated) time signatures.
Mark looks after the band's money, in his role as Treasurer, and is also our Safeguarding Lead.
1st Horn
Sue Briggs
Starting on the Tenor Horn at school, Sue joined Southsea Silver Band aged 15. She moved to flugel horn but then stopped playing for some 30 years. Sue's love of brass banding never went away, and she joined Spinnaker Brass on cornet and then GSB, back on Tenor Horn. Sue continues to play with both GSB and Spinnaker Brass. She loves contesting, fast cars, cream teas, exercise & custard creams (especially after rehearsals).
Sue is our current Equipment Manager.
2nd Horn
Cathy Chinn
Busy composing my Biog .. coming very soon!
2nd Horn
Heather Robinson
Heather began playing the cornet aged 10 with Mossley St John's Band in Yorkshire, and then moved to Horn. She stopped playing for some years, keeping busy running a Guest House in Devon, and later joined GSB in 2023. Heather has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren and 2 cats.
Band Members never argue with Heather as she is the current Kit-Kat Monitor and nobody wants to miss out on her treats at break time! :-)
Euphoniums & Baritones
1st Euphonium
Les Yarrow
Les first picked up a Euphonium at 11 years old and started his banding journey in the North East of England, playing for a majority of the top ranking bands in the area. His career in Financial Services has taken him around the UK, landing on the South Coast some 25 years ago. After taking a break from playing for 20 years, Les joined Gosport Solent Brass in 2019 as Principal Euphoniam. When time off from banding permits, he is a keen gardener.
Les is our current Contest Secretary.
2nd Euphonium
Joe Martin
Joe started playing the Euphonium at school, in 2008, and worked up to be a member of Hampshire County Youth Band, the highlight of which was playing in the Royal Albert Hall. When he's not at band, Joe is a Systems Engineer, and likes to race drones at the weekend. Wow!
1st Baritone
Sarah Urch
Sarah began learning the Trumpet at school, aged 14, primarily to avoid her Maths class on a Friday afternoon! She stuck with it and climbed to the position of Principal Cornet in the Nottinghamshire Police Band. Sarah moved on to play Baritone about 10 years ago, and now loves playing the accompaminent parts as much as she did the tunes. Happily retired, Sarah is a keen swimmer and enjoys the great outdoors, escaping in her motorhome whenever possible.
Sarah is our current Uniform Manager.
2nd Baritone
Mark Crawshaw
Mark's music journey started at the age of eight with the recorder, later moving on to learn the Euphoniam at 11. Keen to learn different instruments, Mark then moved to Tenor Horn and Baritone, developing his ability on these whilst playing in his local Youth Brass Band. Mark joined a Military Band at 16, and back on the Euphoniam, where he played for the next eight years. After a 21 year break from Banding, Mark returned to playing, this time on the Bb Tuba, but is now happily back on Baritone with GSB.
Trombones
1st Trombone
Rich Sharpe
Busy composing my Biog .. coming very soon!
2nd Trombone
Russ Burton
Sport enthusiast Russ started playing the trombone aged 11, and has, over the years played for The Bexley Borough, Orpington Concert & Godalming Bands. He relocated to the area in 2018 and subsequently joined GSB. Russ in now retired after a successful teaching and tutoring career, and when he's not practicing he can be found on the golf course or out on the water, sailing.
Bass Trombone
Callum McPherson
Busy composing my Biog .. coming very soon!
Bass Section
Bb Bass
Bill Swanton
Aged 16, and to avoid playing the Tuba in Brass Bands, Bill ran away to sea with the Royal Navy. Some 50 years on he's still playing the tuba and occasionally ventures out to sea with his work in Naval Medicine. A love of tea, the willingness to deputise for any desperately short tuba section, and the crazy notion that one day he can play better, keeps him playing!
Recently elected to the role, Bill is our current Secretary.
Bb Bass
Martin MacGurk
Busy composing my Biog .. coming very soon!
Eb Bass
Karen Austin
Karen (aka Kazza), has played Bb Bass for over 40 years, and has recently moved onto Eb Bass. Kaz has 30 years service working for Portsmouth NHS Mental Health Services, and when away from work enjoys swimming, running and travelling. She loves to listen to most genres of music especially Soul/House/Disco and of course loves playing a good Test Piece in Band. Karen is a Prosecco Lover and can often be found in the bar after rehearsals with a glass in hand!
Karen is the current Chairperson of GSB's Committee.
Eb Bass
Roger Macauley
Busy composing my Biog .. coming very soon!
Eb Bass
Dickie Horn
Busy composing my Biog .. coming very soon!
Percussionists
Kit/Percussion
Phoebe Bonnar
At only 16, Phoebe is already Grade 8 on Piano and the Clarinet. Currently at college studying A levels in Further Maths and Computer Science, Phoebe began playing percussion at 13, during lockdown, joining GSB in 2024. She has recently been appointed as a First Sea Lord Cadet for the UK in 2024, and in her free time enjoys building Lego, playing Warhammer and Go-Karting.
Tuned Percussion
Vanessa Roe
Vanessa began playing the French Horn at school, and percussion in her local Scout/Guide Band in Lancashire. She joined the NW Brass Band scene at 16, before becoming an Air Traffic Contoller with the RAF. Playing in RAF Concert & Marching Bands throughout her Military Career, Vanessa has now recently settled in Gosport and plays tuned percussion for GSB, as well as a few local military concert bands. "Playing music just makes me smile, from the inside out", says Vanessa!
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