Alice Clarke
Alice started playing tenor horn at the age of 7 at Rochdale Music Service and Whitworth Vale and Healey band where she quickly progressed through the ranks. Alice is a member of the GM Youth Band and has been a member of the NYBBGB organisation since she was 10 moving through the Children’s Band as a player and mentor before joining the Youth Band in 2020. She has enjoyed successful performances at major venues including the Royal Albert Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall and was delighted to join Elland Youth in Malmo for the Europeans.
Alice was appointed solo horn at Wingates band in 2022 and has enjoyed many performances with them including the Scottish Open, NW Area and Grand Shield.
Alice plays on a DW3, having previously played on a DW2 and loves the sound that it produces and the clarity of notes across the whole range. Alice is the first Denis Wick Young Ambassador.
Ben Burke
BB♭ Bass
Ben started playing trombone at the age of 10 with 2nd Rossendale Scout Group Band in the North of England. After a year on trombone, he moved to tenor horn before quickly working his way to what he describes as his calling on BB♭ Bass. Since starting on the tuba Ben have been taught by Gareth Henderson and David Walsh. He quickly progressed from playing in his first competition coming fifth overall in the 3rd section with BMP (Europe) Goodshaw to playing for Blackburn and Darwen band in the 1st section. He currently plays for both Blackburn and Darwen band under Dan Thomas and the 2nd Rossendale Scout band under Graham Helm.
Ben has guested with a wide variety of different bands in the East Lancashire area from the 3rd section up to the Championship section with the likes of Milnrow band. During Bens playing career he has have received some tremendous opportunities such as playing at venues such as the Preston Guild Hall and the Bridgewater Hall Manchester twice in joint concerts with both the Brighouse and Rastrick and Black Dyke bands. Ben plays a Yamaha Neo BB♭ and his mouthpiece of choice is the Heritage 2L.
After gaining a 9 in Bens music GCSE he now studies A level Music with Kevin Gibbs, to further progress his practical and theory skills.
Charlie Cresswell
Charlie is from the Wirral and has been playing the tuba since he was 7 years old. He is currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he is being taught by Les Neish. Charlie started off playing for the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Brass band in 2017, where he stayed principal tuba for 6 years until moving to Manchester to study at the RNCM in 2023.
Charlie was also a member of the Port Sunlight Lyceum Brass Band. This was where he developed his love for brass bands. The band gave him many solo opportunities, and also resulted in a duet performance with Les Neish, his current teacher.
At the start of 2024, Charlie joined the Black Dyke band, where he has been for over a year. In this time, he has already been to Switzerland with the band twice, and on a 10 day tour to Japan. Charlie also had his first contest debut, where the band placed 3rd at both the British Open, and National Championships which has definitely been a musical highlight for him so far. Charlie currently plays on a Denis Wick 2XL mouthpiece, and uses Denis Wick mutes in both Black Dyke and the RNCM.
Georgia Kirk
Georgia was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Aged 6, she was encouraged to play the cornet with her local band; Deepcar Brass Band. A vivid memory of hers from this time was learning the C Major Scale with two missing front teeth. Growing up, she would listen to her older brother Paul practising the Tenor Horn and decided aged 12, that it was time to join the middle of the band on Solo Horn. For over a decade, Georgia has played for Yorkshire-based brass bands, ranging from 4th Section to Championship Section, all whilst using a Denis Wick Tenor Horn Classic 2 Mouthpiece.
As a young teenager, Georgia auditioned for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and spent 5 years in the band. Whilst under the tutelage of world-class musicians, Georgia progressed from the 2nd horn seat to Solo Horn. Being a member of the NYBBGB was a real highlight for Georgia. A real ‘pinch-me’ moment was when she performed with the NYBBGB at the London Barbican, alongside the London Symphony Orchestra for a world Premier.
Aged 16, Georgia began playing Solo Horn for Elland Youth Band, where she competed in Utrecht and Montreux for the European Youth Brass Band Championships and performed in the Royal Albert Hall. Shortly after, Georgia was asked to join the Elland Silver Band, a Yorkshire Championship Section Band, and has been a committed member ever since.
Georgia was taught by Sandy Smith for several years and he remains a huge inspiration to her Tenor Horn playing.
Outside of music, Georgia works for a mental health charity supporting vulnerable adults. However, music remains a big part of her life.
Katie Skey
Katie started playing the cornet at the age of 7 at Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust, where she played both principal trumpet and cornet in the brass band and the concert band, as well as being a member of the orchestra. In 2023, she became a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, and most recently was invited to be part of the NYBBGB Ambassador band, performing Gavin Higgins’ Concerto Grosso in London and Liverpool with the National Youth Orchestra.
Katie is currently the principal cornet of Youth Brass 2000 and has enjoyed successful performances at major events such as competing in Malmo last year in the European Championships. She was recently been offered a place at the Royal Welsh Conservatoire and will commence her studies from September 2024.
Katie recently begun playing on a 4B mouthpiece which she finds improves her sound quality.
Lillie McCluskie
Lillie is based in Ayrshire, Scotland, and began playing cornet at the age of 11 with the Dalmellington Band Institution. However, shortly after, she transitioned to the Tenor Horn. In 2022, she made the move to Dunaskin Doon Band, where she remains today. Lillie is also still active in the youth banding scene, playing with Riverside Youth Band, the current reigning Scottish Champion youth band. She has been a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland (NYBBS) since 2020, progressing through the children’s band, reserve band, and senior bands. Highlights of Lillie’s time at NYBBS include sitting in the principal horn seat of the reserve band, playing at the European Championships with NYBBS in 2022, and becoming an ambassador under the direction of John Boax in 2024, enabling her to give back to an organisation that has supported her growth. Lillie has also enjoyed performances with Elland Silver Band and their youth band, including playing at Whit Friday and Brass in Concert.
Lillie also thrives as a soloist, having achieved promising results at both local and national levels in competitions such as the Ayrshire Music Festival, the West of Scotland Solo Championships, and the Scottish Solo Championships.
Lillie is currently still in secondary education but is working towards a diploma in Tenor Horn performance. She is greatly inspired by the playing of Mr Scott Kerr and Dr Brett Baker, both of whom have been significant role models to her throughout her musical journey. In her free time, Lillie, alongside Mark Good, co-runs the podcast Brass Bands: On The Record!. Lillie hopes to attend university to study Psychology, while also undertaking music modules to further enhance her playing. After university, Lillie aims to join one of the UK’s top bands and plans to continue making music a critical aspect of her life. Lillie currently plays on a Denis Wick Classic 4 mouthpiece, which she believes provides her with clearer overtones and an extended range.
Luke Broadrick
Luke started playing the cornet at primary school aged 8, first starting learning under Gary Curtin of the Foden’s Band. He was taught by Gary for 2 years, whist he was still in primary school. In 2020 he was offered a place in the National Children’s Band of Great Britain, where he was sat on the top repiano cornet seat, under the direction of Nicholas Childs. After two successful years with the band, in 2022, Luke was proudly accepted into the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.
Luke has played for Bollington Brass Band since January 2018, first joining the B band on solo cornet. His talents were quickly recognised and he was promoted into the 1st section main band playing 2nd cornet. After his first area contest with the band, he started playing the soprano cornet to widen his repertoire. For the 2023 area contest he joined the front row playing assistant principal cornet. On the 18 May 2023, he was thrilled to be appointed principal cornet for the band aged 15.
Luke is still a full-time student and is currently taught by Mike Eccles of the Brighouse and Rastrick Band. Luke is also a member of the Macclesfield Youth Brass Band, under the baton of Louise Renshaw. He joined the band on soprano cornet, to help out for the national finals in 2022 where the band achieved a silver award. He chose to join as a full time member and in line with his commitment to the b flat cornet he was appointed as assistant principal cornet and achieved third place in the national championships in 2023. Luke was appointed principal cornet for the band in September 2023 and enjoys mentoring younger players as part of that role. In addition to this, he is a member of Foden’s Youth band, progressing to assistant principal cornet for the band.
Luke aspires to have a career in music, and currently uses the full selection of Denis Wick mutes and uses the Denis Wick 4 cornet mouthpiece.
Oliver Tattersall
Oliver started playing cornet aged 3 years old at Whitworth academy band, quickly advancing through to the junior band and the youth band before moving onto Rochdale Youth Band and started receiving lessons with Joe Murtagh of Black Dyke and Fodens. After this he started playing at BMP (Europe) Goodshaw Band and during his time with this organisation audition and successfully joined the National Children’s Band of GB in 2020 he progressed into the National Youth Band of GB in 2023.
Oliver currently studies GCSE music under Kevin Gibbs and has 1 to 1 lessons with Graham South as he studying at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music. Oliver has had experience in a variety of different bands such as Leyland, Boarshurst and Pemberton as a guest/dep. He has also previously played for Fodens Youth Band and the Greater Manchester Hub Band.
Oliver currently plays for Whitworth Vale and Healey Band along with playing for his local music service in Rochdale. He has had the opportunity to perform at concerts and contests alike at venues such as Bolsover, Buxton, Blackpool Winter Gardens, Stoller Hall, Bridgewater Hall in the UK. Oliver looks forward to his time as a youth ambassador and the opportunities it may create.
Phoebe Mallinson
Phoebe is from Bradford and began playing the cornet at the age of eight before discovering her love for flugelhorn when she was ten. She is the flugelhorn soloist of the City of Bradford Brass Band, as well as being the principal flugelhorn of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.
In 2017, Phoebe was lucky enough to gain a place at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester where she studies trumpet with Tracey Redfern and Gareth Small. The school has allowed her to play in symphony orchestra and big band as well as many solo opportunities.
In 2022 Phoebe reached the televised Brass Category Final of the BBC Young Musician of The Year competition where she showcased a mixed programme of trumpet and flugelhorn.
After her A levels, Phoebe hopes to join one of the UK’s leading conservatoires in order to further her studies in music performance.
Richard Bond
Richard started playing the Tenor Horn with the Flixton Community Band in 2013 at age 6, and then moved onto the Euphonium 2016 and grew to love the instrument. He started playing with Flixton Band on the 2nd Baritone seat. Within 12 months, his skills were noticed quickly as he worked his way up to the Solo Euphonium seat, which he held for 2 years. In May 2024, he helped out the well recognised Wingates Band at the Spring Festival in Blackpool and impressed the band and is now solo euphonium of the band.
Richard is also a proud member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain which he joined late in the Easter of 2024.
Richard currently uses the 4AL Heritage mouthpiece.
