The Kirkintilloch Band

Luke Williams - Principal Trombone

Bio to follow

Bart Simonis 2nd Trombone

Owen Pickering - Bass Trombone

Ian Squince - BBb Bass

Ian was introduced to the trombone and euphonium at the age of eight, by his Father, who at that time was also in charge of the Young Peoples Band, at his hometown Salvation Army Corps at Stockton-on-Tees. At the age of fifteen, Ian moved into the Salvation Army Senior Band at Stockton-on-Tees where he had stints as both principal euphonium and principal trombone. Ian moved north to Glasgow in 1989, where he continued his Salvation Army banding at Parkhead, Govan and Bellshill, having stints on euphonium, Eb Bass and Bb Bass. It was during this time that the instrument of choice overwhelmingly led Ian to the Bb Bass, appealing back then and even today to him as the best instrument in the band. Ian moved into the contesting scene in 1996 when joining the Johnstone Band during one of their most successful periods on the contesting stage, and was one of the players who took the stage with the band for the millennium National Finals in the year 2000, held at the Royal Albert Hall, where the band got a credible 4th place in the second section and also being a player in the first ever Johnstone Band to be promoted to the Championship Section. During his time here in Scotland Ian has also had spells at Dunaskin Doon, Bo’ness & Carriden, Bon Accord and Bathgate band’s, where Ian had the honour of playing in a further four, first section national finals. Ian joined The Kirkintilloch Band in May 2015, where he was able to make his debut in the British Open at The Symphony Hall in Birmingham in the September of 2015. Ian took a small break from the band in October 2017. Ian rejoined the Kirkintilloch Band in May 2019 and was excited to be part of the band that competed in the 2019 first section national finals in Cheltenham when the band where placed a creditable sixth place. Ian now sees The Kirkintilloch Band as his home in Scottish banding and is enthusiastic of passing on all that he has learnt and encouraging new and younger players coming into the band. “We are travelling through a very interesting moment in the band’s history when we hope the current personnel can work successfully together and elevate the band back to the level in banding where it belongs”.

Katy Anderson - Baritone/Percussion

Katy started playing in 1999. After a couple of years on trumpet, under the tuition of George Annan, moved onto euphonium and joined Perthshire Youth Brass. This eventually led to ‘promotion’ to the senior band and contest debut, Scottish Championships 2004 (on bass trombone!!). She spent periods at Clackmannan District Brass Band and Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass before joining The Kirkintilloch Band in 2011 on 2nd Baritone. Banding highlights include NYBBS tour of Japan in 2008, performing at the British Open with Kirkie. Katy’s most interesting banding achievement to date is to reverse over her baritone in a Vauxhall Corsa after a challenging sectional.

John Needham - Cornet

John started playing at Langcraigs Primary School in Paisley where he was taught by the late, great Jimmy Colquhoun. He signed for Kirkie in December 1983 having been a regular ‘dep’ in the preceding 12 months whilst Principal Cornet at Barrhead & District Band. John was at Barrhead for over 11 years. Pretty much an ever present face at Kirkie since 1983, John has played in all of the band’s 5 Scottish Championship wins, their 6 appearances at the European Championships and in each of their 15 appearances at The British Open between 2001 and 2015

Allan Wardrope - Solo Horn - Band Manager

Joined the band in 1979 and made debut at Scottish in 1980 playing 2nd horn. Played Solo Horn with the band from 1982 until 2010 and played in all 5 of the band’s Scottish Championships wins in 1984, 1985, 1990, 1997 & 2007. Have played at Europeans, British Open, National Championships, All England Masters and Brass in Concert with the band and over the years have played many solos at concerts, contests, broadcasts and recordings. Highlights other than the Scottish wins have been 4th places at National Championships, British Open & All England Masters as well as being named in 4BarsRest band of the year in 2005. Have also been a member of the Scottish Quartet title winners on 5 occasions and won the Scottish Solo title in 1999. Other bands played for include NYBBS, Tartan Brass, Frank Renton’s Concert Brass and have guested with many bands including Brighouse & Rastrick, Leyland, YBS, Fodens & Sola Brass. Have played in several countries including Norway, Denmark, USA, Netherlands, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Favourite conductors over the years have included Walter Hargreaves, Frank Renton, Selmer Simonsen, Allan Ramsay, Gary Cutt & Steve Bastable. Retired in 2010 but couldn’t stay away so have been back on and off for the past decade!

Chris Ball - 1st Horn

I started on cornet with Bo’ness & Carriden when I was 8yrs old. Progressed from back row to front row, and had a couple of years on Soprano, before moving on to Solo Horn in 1993. Won the Scottish Championship’s with Bo’ness in 1995 and joined Kirkintilloch in 2002 on 2nd horn. Other Bands I’ve played for include Kinneil, Whitburn and NYBBS, as well as guesting for many others. In addition to winning the Scottish Championship’s with Kirkie in 2002 and 2007, I’ve been fortunate to play at The Europeans, British Open, National Championships, All England Masters and Brass in Concert. Best Banding highlight was 4th place at the British Open in 2004, and scariest was in 1991, playing Soprano on Energy at the National Championships in the Royal Albert Hall. I moved on to Solo Horn with Kirkie in 2017.

Emma Shanks - Cornet

Originally from Clydebank now lives with her husband Chris in Cambuslang. Emma started playing her cornet at the tender age of 7 at the Salvation Army in Clydebank as part of their junior band. Music plays an important part in Emma’s life, being a member of the Salvation Army has had a huge influence on this with massive opportunities, from her own time as a student at their Summer music camps to UK&Ireland territorial events to world events such as the Rose Bowl Parade in California. Emma started off contesting with the Kirkintilloch Kelvin band in 2008 and then moved, after a short break to get married in 2016, to the Kirkintilloch band in February 2017.

Les Wood - Solo Cornet

I started learning cornet at the a ge of 10 at primary school and in the Renfrewshire Schools Brass Bands, under the tuition of the great Jimmy Colquhoun, a fantastic teacher who developed so many players who are still playing to this day. I joined Barrhead Burgh Band on back row, then front row cornet, gaining promotion from 4th and 3rd sections in successive years in 1976 and 1977, with Jimmy Colquhoun conducting. I made the move to Kirkintilloch Band in 1979 on front row, and have played with the band ever since. During my time with the band, we have been Scottish Champions 6 times and Scottish Quartet Champions a further 4 times. I have played all over the cornet section at various times as required, from 3rd cornet to principal cornet. I don’t care where I play, just as long as I can play! I’ve been lucky enough to have played under many superb, inspirational conductors (too many to mention) and have had the privilege of sitting in the same band as many fine players over the years. It’s true that the band is your second family, and I feel we have that spirit at Kirkie. I’ve also been lucky to have played at many top international venues, highlights being principal cornet at two European Championships and at two National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall (as well as all the other times where I wasn’t on the end chair – much less scary!). Most of all I’ve been lucky to have known and played with Peter Fraser and Willie Tennant – true legends, without whom Kirkie would not exist!

Kerryn Logan - Cornet

Kerryn is an undergraduate student studying her Bachelor Arts with Honours in Technical Theatre and Production at the University of the West of Scotland due to graduate this summer. She has been studying Technical Theatre since 2014, where she started her career in Stage Management with her first production as a Stage Manager on the play; The Man Who Came to Dinner in the spring of 2016. Since then she has been lucky enough to work on many productions, in a range of different roles with The University of the West of Scotland and Pantheon Theatre Company. Outside university life she is a keen brass musician who has been playing the cornet since the age of seven. Currently she is playing cornet for The Kirkintilloch Brass Band and has done so since April 2018. Alongside Kirkintilloch she plays in the West Scotland Divisional Youth Band of the Salvation Army as well as helping out with our own youth band when possible. During the current pandemic she is broadening skills in areas relating to her future career as well as the band creating content for Social Media.

Graeme Goldie - Percussion

I started playing percussion in the most bizarre circumstances, whilst sitting listening to a rehearsal in 2002 at Coalburn Silver Band, where my dad played at the time. Gareth Bowman, current resident conductor of Kirkintilloch, asked me to 'jump on the kit' to 'play what I can' as they prepared their contest programme for the up and coming contest. They played Rocky, I turned a few heads and I got 'asked' to sign with the band, had my photo taken, before I knew it I was playing at the Scottish a few months later! I spent 6 amazing years at Coalburn, winning lots of silverware. I then moved on to play with Shotts (my home town) under the baton of Mike Marzella, for another 6 years. Whilst playing at Shotts, I received a call from Kirkintilloch to help them at a few contests, namely, West Lothian Challenge... Followed by The British Open! It was a jaw dropping opportunity and saying yes is one of the best decisions I've ever made. In 2015 I took a leap of faith to set up Newmains & District Brass Band, and by 2017 was able to help them become 4th Section British National Champions, which is by far, the best memory of my banding career. I also play Percussion for The Lowland Band for the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and have been given the opportunity to perform in the likes of Gibraltar, Netherlands, Germany with them...Which brings me to the here and now. Rejoining Kirkintilloch in July 2019, I am now part of the Kirky Band Family, and a truly amazing Percussion Section. The Kirkintilloch Band is a fantastic organisation, and it's an honour to be part of it.

Billy McKnight - Percussion

My illustrious brass-playing career started in 1981 at Cumnock Academy. I was given a cornet at first but after a few weeks of intense practice and getting to grips with a 'G', it was taken off me by my brass instructor and I was given a pair of drumsticks instead (wonder why)! My percussion story started with Cumnock Youth Band, playing 'Patterns' at the Scottish Youth Championships and soon after I joined Dunaskin Doon Silver Band. Other bands I've been signed with include Newtongrange, Whitburn, Kirkintilloch, Kirkintilloch Kelvin, Whitburn (again), Newmilns, Co-op, Newmilns (again), Johnstone and Kirkintilloch (again). I've helped out numerous other bands...too many to mention but you know who you are! I've won the Scottish Championships 3 times and my best result is 2nd with Whitburn at the British Open. My favourite test piece is Paganini Variations. Born in Dumfries and raised in Cumnock, I now live in Quarter, near Hamilton with Linda and my 2 boys, Ryan and Stephen. After leaving Cumnock Academy, I studied Applied Physics and Mechanical Engineering at Glasgow College of Technology (now Glasgow Caley) Nicknames I've had through the years (that I can mention) are 'Buffer', 'BillyBongo' and 'RoboBongo'!

Jamie Williamson - Percussion

Bio to follow

Jamie Hoyle - Percussion

Bio to follow

Dean Logan - Eb Bass

Bio to Follow

Jack Anderson - Cornet

Jack started playing at primary school, following in the footsteps of his sister Katy. They were both taught by George Annan, whose claims to fame included having taught Ewan McGregor the tenor horn, and who got them involved in banding by welcoming them along to Perthshire Brass. Jack first attended NYBBS a few years later, and it was here under the one and only Richard Evans that he enjoyed some of his finest banding experiences. Jack was principal flugel of NYBBS for three years, and also played for Clackmannan Band. After taking several years off from playing whilst training as a professional dancer, Jack came to Kirkie (once again following his sister) in 2017.

Hannah Oman - Soprano Cornet

Inspired by my Mum who Is a Cornet player, I started playing the cornet at the age of 10 under the tuition of Steve Stewart, still one of my biggest playing inspirations to this day. Shortly after starting I joined the Campbeltown Brass Junior Band and enjoyed a successful spell competing with the band before progressing to the senior band. Shortly after joining the senior band I was promoted onto Soprano helping the band work their way to the 1st section and winning the best soloist prize at Fife Brass Band Festival. During my time on Soprano I have been fortunate enough to be a member of all 3 of the National Youth Brass Bands of Scotland bands and to be the recipient of the best student award in 2015. Being a member of NYBBS has allowed to me to work with amazing tutors and conductors which has been a playing highlight for me. In September 2019 after moving to University in Edinburgh to study for my Paediatric Nursing Degree I was fortunate enough to be asked to join the band on Soprano, which has been another of the highlights of my playing career.

Katherine Adams - Flugel

Katherine started playing at the age of 11, cornet was my beginner instrument before being promoted to flugel at the age of 13. Being English and not in the loop of Scottish banding. I started my playing with the Enderby youth band...at 13 I moved to Ratby senior band in the championship section on flugel. I was a member of the NYBBGB for 5 years and have played with Ransomes band and Carlton Main Frickley. When I was 16 I studied at Chethams school of music and joined Marsden Band until my move to Scotland. I retired from playing after graduating from the RSAMD for 6 years then Ian Squince persuaded me to play for Kirkintilloch. Probably my first ever test piece in championship section...Tristan and Isolde alongside Paganini variations and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. My favorite contest is the Scottish, alongside Blackpool Grand Shield. My favourite banding moments would be Blackpool Spring Festival in the Grand Shield when I was 15...Major Peter Parks was conducting and gave me a shot of whisky before going on stage with Ransome band as I had a huge solo which went fabulous. The Yorkshire area contest championship section....there’s no better brass band feeling than being alongside some of the worlds best brass bands...Butlins has also been an experience with my NYBBGB pals as we have many tales to tell also...taking the Kirkintilloch Youth Band to Scottish Youth Championships and getting a gold award was a great honour.

Kirsty Innes - Eb Bass

Bio to follow

Andy Robson - Principal Euphonium

Bio to Follow

Dave Prentice - Principal Cornet

Jane Prentice - Cornet

Ruaridh Prentice - Cornet

Murdo Campbell - 2nd Euphonium

Phoebe Hibbert - Cornet

Stephen Povey - Percussion

Ross Mercer - Eb Bass