Name:             Claire Seward           

Position:           2^nd Cornet

Joined in:       Originally 1992, then left for 10ish years and returned November 2007

When I’m not at band:   

I’m a Chartered Accountant working for a firm in Huntingdon called Bulley Davey who have a number of offices in the East of the country.  I’m a manager there, which means I am responsible for preparing/reviewing accounts and tax returns for about 200ish clients.

Best Foresters moment:

I think probably winning the areas during my first stint with the band and being promoted to the Championship section.  The Guernsey tour back in the day too was the best one I’ve been on and still remember it with very happy memories.  Also being welcomed back to the band by everyone after all those years was just lovely.

Favourite piece:

In terms of test pieces I think it’s probably The Essence of Time, and in terms of entertainment I think Toccata, just because you can see everyone enjoys playing it and the audiences love it too.  Also Procession to Minster gives me goose bumps every time I hear or play it, I just love it!  There are probably many more which I cannot think of at this moment in time.

Most embarrassing musical moment: 

Standing in front of 2,000 people at Blackpool Winter Gardens in an entertainments contest, dancing and shaking maracas on the front of the stage to the posthorn gallop!  I think I will always be scarred by that one – time most certainly does not heal the feelings I had that day!

The thing that makes me laugh:

I laugh at rubbish jokes and silliness.  Bizarrely one thing that sets me off every time is when my boyfriend, Matt, starts hiccupping?!? They are proper whoops and he cannot stop them once he’s off and they get worse the more he tries to stop them and frankly they are one of the funniest things I have ever heard.

The thing that makes me cry:

Almost everything, whether it is for happiness or sadness…I am the professional crier at weddings (had to stop midway through a reading at my best friends’ wedding because I was crying so much…the minister asked if I was OK and in a louder than I thought voice I said ‘I’m just a big girl’s blouse!’ at which point most of the congregation started crying too!) and I have been known to cry at adverts and Bart Simpson.  I am one big cry baby.

Something people probably don’t know about me:

I have a cat who can say my name!  One day I will get it on tape!