The Bandsman catches up with Emily Evans, Solo Horn with Flowers and one of the stars of a band that are making great strides with some fantastic recent performances and Brass in Concert just around the corner.

Hi Emily, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions.

Let's start with where you grew up?

I grew up in Camborne in Cornwall. I was born in the North of England and lived in New Zealand for a couple of years when I was little before moving to Cornwall.

At what age did you start playing and what instrument did you play?

I started playing the Cornet a little bit around the age of 3 or 4. My two baby front teeth fell out at the same time when I was 7 and I couldn’t get a note out of the Cornet for a while, so I swapped to the Tenor Horn and never looked back!

Who are your banding heroes/heroines?

I was taught by Owen Farr during my time at RWCMD and on courses on the National Childrens Brass Band and the National Youth Brass Band so he has always been a huge inspiration to me. I also looked up to Sheona White, who also taught me on the NCBB and NYBB courses. When I swapped to the Tenor Horn aged 7 I was given Sheona Whites CD ‘The Voice of the Tenor Horn’ which I listened to a lot growing up.

Which bands have you played for and can you include the year you started playing with?

I started playing with the Porthleven Town Band from around the age of 7 on Solo Horn. I played Solo Horn with the Lanner and District Silver Band for the majority of my childhood. I moved to the Tongwynlais Band on Solo Horn in 2014 when I moved to Wales to study at RWCMD, and then I joined Flowers on Solo Horn in 2017.

I was also a member of the National Children's Brass Band from 2005-2012 and the National Youth Brass Band from 2009-2014 where I was Principal Solo Horn in both bands.

Do you come from a musical family?

Yes, all of my family are musical. My older sister plays Baritone for Tongwynlais Band, and my younger sister used to play the Flugel but mainly sings now. Both of my parents were brass players and my stepdad conducts the St Austell Band in Cornwall.

Do you have a stand-out moment in banding that always brings a smile to your face when you think about it?

I wouldn’t say I have one stand-out moment in particular, but thinking of my time in the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain always makes me smile, as it gave me many opportunities to perform in different venues, and to meet so many talented people. The highlight would probably be when the band performed at the BBC Proms in 2012 at the Royal Albert Hall.

I saw you playing with Cory Band at a concert, is depping something you like to do?

I do like to dep for other bands as it is exciting to play with different groups of musicians and to perform different music. In 2018, I was asked to play a Saxhorn for The Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique for concerts in London, Paris, and New York, which was really inspiring!

Do you see yourself sticking to playing only, or would you like to branch out to conducting and/or adjudicating in the future?

I haven’t got any plans to branch out to conducting or adjudicating currently, but I do enjoy tutoring on courses such as the North American Brass Band Summer School in Canada, and the Gloucestershire Youth Brass Band.

A huge thank you to Emily for taking the time to talk to The Bandsman, great to get some background on one of banding's stand out performers.