New Talent at Foresters!

In preparation for the new banding season, Foresters Brass have signed three new players to the band. Bethan Brown on Solo Baritone, Harry Stubbs on 2nd Euphonium, and Freya Lunn on 2nd Cornet will boost the band in the upcoming concerts and contests and it's looking to be an exciting season ahead.

Freya began her musical life playing trumpet and piano, and played in her school Jazz and concert bands. Then when she was 15, she joined the Nottingham brass band Carlton Brass on back row until she moved to Sheffield for university where she played back row with the Unite the Union band. Now back in Nottingham, we are delighted that Freya has joined the cornet ranks on Back row and has already impressed at a number of concerts this summer!

Bethan started playing the baritone at the age of 8 at the Leicestershire Co-op Training Band, quickly progressing to solo baritone. At the age of 11 Bethan joined Youth Brass 2000 and again soon moved into the solo baritone seat, a seat she then held with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. At 12 years old she joined both Foresters Brass 2000 and the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain, where she has held the solo baritone seat for the last 3 years also being asked to act as a mentor in 2014. Bethan had some time away from Foresters with The GUS Band, The Staffordshire Band, and The Jaguar Land Rover Band, but we are delighted she has decided to rejoin the band on the Solo Baritone seat alongside her studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire under Matthew White.

Harry starting playing cornet through the Salvation Army when he was 6, and moved onto euphonium when he was 11 playing at his home corps of Derby Central. His interest for playing grew after attending a Salvation Army music course, working through the ranks and eventually doing his first course as principal in 2018. He also starting attending the territorial youth band course held by the Salvation Army when he was 13, doing his first course as principal in 2019. He became a member of The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain in 2019 and was also a senior mentor at the National Children’s Brass Band this summer, where he sat principal euphonium and won the prestigious William Patterson award for his playing. Harry said- "I’ve had many musical influences over the years who continue to support me and I am grateful for. I’m very excited to be joining this band and I can’t wait to get started!"

The new trio will next play with the band together at their next concert in Lower Lydbrook for the Foresters High Chief Rangers concert on the 28th September.