 | |
Sandy was born in Scotland and began his career with the Whitburn Band. Studying
initially in Edinburgh he gained L.T.C.L. and L.L.C.M. teaching and performing
diplomas and also became principal horn of the National Youth Brass Band of
Scotland before moving to Yorkshire.
In 1981 he joined the Black Dyke Mills Band where he spent over ten years as
principal horn. During this time he played all over Europe and in Israel, Japan
and Australia as well as being part of many contest winning performances at the
British Open, National and European Championships. In 1993 he joined the
Stockport based Williams Fairey Band with whom he again won all the major brass
band contest titles.
In 2000 he joined the Grimethorpe Colliery RJB Band and toured Australia, New
Zealand and Hong Kong with the band. He has also played with the BBC National
Orchestra of Wales and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra in works requiring
tenor horn.
Among the composers who have written works for him are Elgar Howarth, whose
“Horn Concerto” was premiered at the RNCM Festival of Brass in 2005 with the
composer conducting the Grimethorpe band, John Golland, Peter Graham, Martin
Ellerby, whose ‘Tenor Horn Concerto’ he premiered at the Bridgewater Hall in
Manchester in 1999 with the Williams Fairey Band, and Andrew Duncan,whose
“Gambade” received its premiere on the Grimethorpe tour of Australia, New
Zealand and Hong Kong in January / February 2000.
Sandy is in increasing demand as an arranger and has lectured on brass band
scoring, arranging and the history and repertoire of the brass band at
Huddersfield University.
His teaching activities have encompassed every stage of musical education from
primary school to university standard.
He was Professor of tenor horn at the Royal Northern College of Music in
Manchester for many years and has held similar posts at the University of
Huddersfield and Leeds College of Music. He has taught on many brass band
residential courses including the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain,
the Brass Band Summer School and the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland.
|
