Skelmersdale Prize Brass Band Website

PRINCIPAL CORNET - DEBBIE WILLIAMS - Started Playing some 30 years ago under the influence of Jon-Duncan whom at the time played Trombone for wingates.Debbie was Principal Cornet for Trinity Girls Youth band at the tender age of 10 and was promoted to the senior Band at the age of 11 where she played for 6 years before leaving to venture her career as a Hotel Manager. Debbie then went on to play for Old Hall were she finished on Principal Cornet before coming to Skelmersdale Band. Debbies highest point of her Banding career was playing at The Royal Albert Hall in 2000. Debbies favourite piece is Palladio, and her favourite test peice has to be Connotations.Debbie quotes anybody who says banding is just a hobby is not in it for the long haul!!!

SOLO CORNET -  BENJAMIN COULSON - Benjamin is the son of Phillippa and JP who both play in the band.  At only 13 years old he is an excellent and ever improving young player.  He has already played solo's such as Share My Yoke and Georgia on my Mind in concerts.  He holds a very bright future within the band.

SOLO CORNET - GEORGINA MOULSDALE - Georgina is another talented youngster at the band.  She began playing when she was just 7 years old and has previously played with Parr Band and St Helens Youth.  She is now 12 years old and has a great future in banding.  Her favourite piece is Clog Dance

SOLO CORNET - ANDY WATKINSON - Andy started playing trumpet at high school in 1990.  Since then he has played jazz with the Sefton Youth Jazz Orchestra whilst at college in Southport and big band music with the Lancaster University Big Band during his time away at University.  After University, Andy joined Marshside Brass Band where he learnt the ropes of brass banding.  In 2007 he joined Skelmersdale Prize Band after hearing the band play and being impressed with the standard of playing and the range of music.  Andy played in his first brass band contest in March 2008 at the North West Regionals and thoroughly enjoyed the experience and is now looking forward to improving his brass band playing with the Skelmersdale Prize Band.

SOPRANO CORNET - ROGER FORD

REPIANO CORNET - NICOLA BENTHAM - Nicola started playing a brass instrument  when she was 18, in 2005. Her fiance Simon (aka Chimp) got her involved with banding as he played at Pemberton and so she decided to give playing a go, and has never looked back.  Nicola has been playing with Skelmersdale band since July 2007.  Previously she has played with Coppull and Standish Band and also with Pemberton Old Wigan B Band. Nicola's ambition is to carry on improving her playing and to win contests with Skelmersdale!  Nicola's favourite pieces are The Watermill and The Feather Song (and Jurassic Park!!)

2ND CORNET - LINDA MAWDSLEY - Linda played with Parr Public Prize Band from 1965 where she met and married Evan Mawdsley (our bass trombone player.)  In 1978 she played with Rainford Silver Band for quite a few years.  Linda eventually returned to Parr Band for a short time, until she was approached by Skelmersdale Prize Band to help out at the National Finals (year 2000) at the Royal Albert Hall, London.  Her favourite hymn tune is Diadem by James Ellor.  Linda also gives time and support to the West Lancashire Youth Brass Band.

2ND CORNET - SIMON QUINN-  Simon has played on and off with the band for many years.  Before joining Skelmersdale Simon played with the Standish Band.  He is a big Wigan Latics fan and loves his golf too!

3RD CORNET - MIKE CHAPMAN - Mike is our perennial 3rd cornet player!  He began playing in 1965 when he was 10 years old.  Mike originally spent 10 years playing for the Banks Brass Band before moving to the Southport St John Band where he spent 9 years.  Following on from this, Mike played with A and B Brass in Pemberton for another 9 years and the Longridge Band for 3 years before moving to Skelmersdale Prize Band, where he has played for the past 18 years!  In 1996, Mike played in a Norman Wisdom film production, and he has also played for Princess Diana with the La'Porte Band.  Mike was also a part of Skelmersdale band when they qualified for the National Finals in 2000, where they played at the Royal Albert Hall.

3RD CORNET – ELLEN GALBRAITH - Ellen is an old friend of the band who originally joined when she moved to Edge Hill University from her hometown of Buxton.  Ellen has recently moved back to St Helens where she is a teacher and so she returned to the band, although she will remain registered with her hometown band, the Fairfield Band to compete in the Regional Championships with them.

SOLO HORN -  JOANNE LUDDEN -

1ST HORN - KEN HAWORTH - Ken started playing in brass bands 50 years ago, in the Kensington Salvation Army Band in Liverpool, where his Father was the bandmaster.  Ken has played in several bands since then, but his highlights are a tour of Malta and the Royal Tournament with the St John Band based in Southport.  He also took part in the BBC2 Championship with Edge Hill BR and he played at the Royal Albert Hall in the year 2000 at the National Finals with Skelmersdale, playing one of his favourite pieces, Excelsior.

2ND HORN - PAMELA MAGUIRE - Pam started playing in a brass band at 16. She played in the North East area for many years playing for Durham Constabulary and Cockerton Prize Silver Band to name a few.

SOLO EUPHONIUM - PETER GORE -

2ND EUPHONIUM -  BOB DUNN -

SOLO BARITONE - GORDON HATTON - Gordon started playing when he was 9 years old.  He was given his great-grandfathers cornet as a birthday present!  As a youngster he played with the Lancashire Youth Brass Band and the North West Brass Band Association Youth Band.  He has played with Stretford Borough, Sale Concert, St Johns Ambulance and Skelmersdale Prize Band.  His banding highlights are a trip to Malta, the Royal Tournament and appearing in the finals at the Royal Albert Hall.

2ND BARITONE -  SARAH DE QUINCEY - Sarah is back with the band full time after moving away with work committments for twelve months.  She is another long standing member of the band, and it is great to have her back on the baritone seat.

SOLO TROMBONE -  DANNY HUGHES -

2ND TROMBONE - LINDA ANDRUS -

BASS TROMBONE - EVAN MAWDSLEY - Evan began playing with Parr Public Prize band in 1958, making this his 50th year in brass banding.  He and his wife Linda (our 2nd cornet player) joined Rainford Silver Band in 1978.  Evan was approached by, and joined Pemberton Old Band in 1997.  Evan was later to join Skelmersdale Prize Band in 1999.  One of his favourite pieces of music is Bohemian Rhapsody.

Eb BASS -  ANDREW BOOTH - Andrew started his playing life in Hartlepool as a teenager and entered the Brass Band world with Horden Colliery Band (sadly no more.)  After finishing school he joined the Army as a musician, where he managed to stay for 22 years, finishing his career as an Army Bandmaster with the Royal Corps of Signals Band.

After life in the armed forces, Andrew decided that he'd had enough of being paid for his hobby and got a real job!  But, it wasn't long before he missed playing and got back into where he started: brass bands.  he started off at Marshside, and then Hesketh Bank, before coming to Skelmersdale, firstly as a player, and then conductor for a short while, until work committements forced a short break from banding.  He is now banck on the Bass rank and is loving it!  Andrew is also the Chairman of the band committee.

Eb BASS - KEITH (TANK) SHARPLES - Keith started playing in 1977 at the age of 14 with Ormskirk Town Band.  In 1983 he joind Skelmersdale Prize Band.  Keith left Skelmersdale in 1990 for a short time, to play with Orrell Silver Band, but he rejoined Skelmersdale in 1991.  Keith has also had a musically varied and challenging professional career, playing all imaginable styles from free improvised jazz to Eastern European folk music.  Keith was the regular Tubist for a world jazz octet from Liverpool (The Brasshoppers) for 11 years before taking a break from professional music, but was recently invited to join "La Banda Europa," a 35 piece pan European ensemble put together by the well known Scottish composer, Jim Sutherland.  He has also appeared on many recordings including a CD by The La's, and he has provided sample tones for recording studios that have been used by O.M.D and Atomic Kitten, to name but a few.

Eb BASS - DAVE LYON -Dave is the OAP of Skelmersdale Prize Band! Dave has a long and illustrious career with the band, it has been in his family for generations.  The Lyons were the founding members of Skelmersdale Temperence Band, and Dave has been in the band all his life.  Dave's dedication and loyalty to Skelmersdale Band is greatly admired.

Bb BASS - JP COULSON - JP started playing at the tender age of 13 on tenor horn at Skelmersdale Prize Band youth band.  From there he moved to Orrell B band on euphonium, and he held the solo euphonium seat for ten years.  JP left Orrell as he had the chance to play for the City of Stoke Band on Eb Bass.  From there JP moved back to Skelmersdale Prize Band, remaining on Eb Bass.  The bigger JP's waist line has got, the bigger his instrument has also got, hence him now playing Bb Bass, now his hair is the only thin thing about him.  JP's favourite piece is Elsa's procession to the cathedral.  His high point in his banding career was playing at the Royal Albert Hall; his low point, seeing a great band destroyed by an egotistical conductor!

Bb BASS - SIMON (CHIMP) CUNLIFFE - Simon has been playing with the band since July 2007.  Previously he has played Bb bass for Coppull and Standish, and before this, he spent 10 years playing percussion for Pemberton Old Wigan A band, including winning the first section national finals at Harrogate.  Simon felt that he had achieved all that he could as a percussionist, having spent many years at the top level with Pemberton, and so he decided to turn his hand to a brass instrument in order to play with his fiance (Nicola.) Simon's ambition is to get back to the Championship section with Skelmersdale, meaning he will have played on both percussion and a brass instrument at the top level.

PRINCIPLE PERCUSSIONIST -PHILLIPPA COULSON - Phillippa began playing percussion when her saxophone broke! She then saw the light and moved from playing in wind bands and orchestras to brass bands.  She began at Orrell Silver with Trevor Halliwell conducting.  From Orrell she went to Greenall's, before returning to Orrell, where she met husband JP.  Phillippa joined Skelmersdale Prize Band in 1993 to play in the same band as JP.  Phillippa dislikes improvising on the kit.

RICHIE MAGUIRE - Richie used to bring his son, Andrew who used to play in the band to rehearsals and sit and listen.  He began playing because one day they needed someone to play the bass drum in a March and Andrew informed the band that his Dad, Richie, had played in a Marching band many years before.  He has played percussion ever since! Richies greatest banding moment was winning best percussion at Rhyl Entertainments contest and also playing with the band at the Nationals at the Royal Albert Hall.  His favourite piece of music is Riverdance.

JONATHAN WHITTAKER - Jonathon is a great up and coming talent within Skelmersdale band, and we are proud to say that he plays for both the youth and senior band.  At only 14 years old, Jonathan is an accomplished pianist, percussionist and composer. He has written several arrangements for both bands, including James Bond, The Simpsons and My Grandfathers Clock as a percussion feature.

ALAN PENK - Penky has played at Skelmersdale Prize Band for many years.  He is experienced in all percussion sections and he spends a lot of time helping the younger percussionists coming through the ranks.

JOHN LUDDEN -