Musical Director and Conductors
MD - Richard Marshall BA (Hons)
Quoted at the Black Dyke Brass Arts Festival, the internationally acclaimed maestro Elgar Howarth described Richard as “the most outstanding cornet player this country has ever produced.”
Richard is currently Principal Cornet of the world-famous Black Dyke Band, a position that is heralded as the “hottest seat in banding.” Previously Principal Cornet for ten years with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, Richard fulfilled his childhood ambition and followed in the footsteps of some of his cornet heroes and moved to the Queensbury based band in January 2006.
As a respected and devoted teacher, Richard is a cornet tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire and Salford University. He is a regular tutor on the International Brass Band Summer School, the National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain and the Yorkshire Youth Brass Band.
Richard has released to date five solo recordings. The Debutante (1999), Blaze (2005), Eminence (2007) and The Cornet Heritage Collection Volume 1 (2010) and Volume 2 (2013) all of which have been received with world-wide acclaim, with Blaze and Eminence being awarded the title Solo CD of the Year.
Richard enjoys working alongside renowned composers to create new and exciting repertoire. Elgar Howarth’s Sonatina (2008) and Edward Gregson’s Cornet Concerto (2016) are two major works that were written for, and dedicated to Richard. Essentials, written by Philip Wilby and in collaboration with Richard are Brass Studies for the Twenty First Century. This study book contains a number of advanced studies designed to be technically challenging for advanced players.
As a performer Richard has travelled to Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, America and several European countries. He has performed in many iconic concert venues such as Sydney Opera House and New York’s Carnegie Hall.
Richard is a Geneva Performance and Development Artist and plays exclusively on a Geneva Cardinal Cornet and an RM1a Signature Alliance Mouthpiece. His recent solo CD, Sonatina, was awarded BBW and British Bandsman Solo CD of the year for 2020.
Resident Conductor - Vicki Kennedy
Meet Vicki, a talented cornet player whose musical journey began at just seven years old. Her early passion for music led her through local bands, and by the age of 13, she was already making waves in the championship section of banding. Vicki’s remarkable talent caught the attention of the E.Y.M.S band, where she honed her skills further before joining the Rothwell Temperance Band in 2007. During her time there, she celebrated significant victories, including triumphs at the Yorkshire Regional Areas and the prestigious Grand Shield. In 2009, Vicki took a bold step and moved to Wales to pursue her performance studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Her dedication paid off as she garnered numerous accolades, such as being named the 2012 Brass Student of the Year, winning the Philip Jones Brass ensemble prize on three occasions, and serving as Principal Cornet for the Tongwynlais Temperance Band. Under her leadership, the band achieved an impressive 4th place at the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall in 2012 and clinched victory at the Welsh Regional Area contest, all before she graduated in the summer of 2013. After earning her degree, Vicki returned to the north, where she played with several esteemed brass bands, most notably the renowned Black Dyke Band. During her time with them, the band was crowned European Champions in 2015 and finished as runners-up in 2016. Today, Vicki shares her passion for music as the Head of Music at the Holy Family Catholic School in Keighley.
