Profiles of Band members
Front Row and Soprano's:
Gareth Thomas was one of the original members of the old Falmouth Town band, formed in 1980. He worked his way up to principle cornet aged 15 and still holds this seat today. Best banding moment was playing at Wembley in the band's first national finals. His favourite food is Asian cuisine/Indian and he enjoys an occasional pint of lager and fine wine! His hobbies include cooking, playing pool for the Trelly team and is a huge supporter of Liverpool Football Club.
Amanda Gardner began her career with Carharrack and St Day Silver Band before spending 5 years with Redruth Town Band. Moved to London and on her return helped Lanner band for a contest and stayed 3 years. Met Steve and joined Kernow Concert Brass before teaming up with Pendennis this year. Favourite banding moment, qualifying for national finals with Lanner getting incredibly drunk and repeating the same the following year. Favourite food and drink, anything with melted cheese and lots of Black Russians, vodka, Tia Maria and coke. Other hobbies, reading and going out with the family.
Katie Eddy joined Pendennis in 2004. Favourite banding moment, Areas 2008, the result as well as the general atmosphere. Favourite food and drink is steak, Malibu and coke. Other interests, netball and swimming.
Jack Furse joined band in 2000 and has played in two national finals and been and has played in most contests and engagements. Favourite banding moment was recording the 'Chalkie' song for a TV show and being promoted to the 3rd section. Favourite food, fish and chips and cake. Football, badminton and running are also favourite hobbies.
Lewis Padget joined the band in 1997 on 3rd cornet and his first contest was at the West of England Bandsmen's Festival at Bugle. Lewis has competed in three national finals with Pendennis and his favourite food and drink is steak and chips and lager. Outside of the band his interests are pool and darts.
Ben Elliott (Cornet) has been an eager cornet player since the age of eight, joining the brass band scene with Truro City Brass Band before being recruited by Pendennis to help in an area contest not much more than three years ago. Ben has since enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere of Pendennis and improved his playing dramatically which he hopes will continue long into the future.
Back Row:
Vicky Thomas (Cornet) started playing at the age of nine in Porthleven Band. She then moved to Penzance Silver Band and on to Camboren Town until she joined Pendennis Brass in 2007. Vicky currently works as a Support Worker with people with learning disabilities. She enjoys watching Surrey Cricket team and follows Plymouth Argyle football club. She has two tortoises called Ramps and Zola and a three legged cat called Ellie.
Simon Caddy started out in Lanner Junior Band then played for Constantine on the front row. He was then involved in Kernow Concert Brass until 2010 when he joined Pendennis Brass.
Horns:
Chris Verran began his playing career with Penryn Concert Band and has also played for Penryn School Band/Saracen Brass before moving on to Camborne, Redruth Town and Carharrack and St Day bands. He has been the Pendennis Brass flugel horn player for several years. Chris's favourite banding moment was hearing Monty Ray, then principal cornet with Camborne in the 1970s playing a hymn tune solo in a packed fish and chip shop at Bugle in exchange for a bag of chips. His own favourite food and drink is fillet steak and bitter. Outside of the band Chris enjoys walking, pool and socialising.
Sue Brown has been the band's solo horn player since 2002. She began playing with Hatherleigh Silver in 1975 and was with them for 9 years before moving to city of Winchester Brass (now Otterbourne). After a 14 year break she joined Pendennis and says she is so glad to be playing again. Sue's favourite banding moment was winning the areas in 2007. Favourite food and drink is vegetable stir fry with water or lager and her other interests are also band related, supporting her children, Matt and Em in their hectic banding lives with Camborne Youth, Junior and B bands, and Em with her dancing. Very little spare time after that and work.
Tammy Thomas began on tenor horn with Penryn School Band in 1978 progressing to solo horn with Saracen Brass then on to Pendennis Brass. She then had short spells with Constantine and Carharrack and St Day on cornet before returning to Pendennis. Her best banding moment was winning best instrumentalist at Bugle and Truro in the same year with Pendennis. Favourite food and drink is prawn curry and red wine and Tammy's other interests are photography and playing the clarinet.
Michael Russell started playing the cornet when he was six. He joined Camborne Youth Band and travelled to Manchester with them on several occasions. As the years passed, he completed all exams up to Grade 6 and it was around that time that he left Camborne because he couldn't juggle his GCSE exams and the band. In May 2008 he joined Pendennis Youth Band and it was a refreshing change from the strict rehearsals and commitments with Camborne. In 2009, Michael was invited to join the Senior Band. In his spare time, Michael likes to go to the beach with friends and have a good time. He is also a member of the Air Cadets where he hopes to go on and join the Royal Air Force. Michael's ambition is to join the Red Arrows Display Team. Favourite food and drink is prawn cocktail crisps and pineapple juice.
Baritones and Euphoniums:
Simon Phillips began his career as a percussionist with Redruth Town Band in 1993 before moving to Penzance in 1999. His first seat as solo euphonium player was with Corsham Band in 2003 but was back on percussion with Camborne B in 2004 before a spell with Camborne Town from 2005 - 2006. In 2004 he had a dual role as solo euphonium with Heyl band before taking up his present post as solo euphonium with Pendennis in 2006. Simon has several favourite banding moments, when band and conductor are working as one, very hard to beat. The last 2 minutes of Essence of Time, YBS winning British Open with Les Preludes in 2001 and sitting in with Camborne rehearsing Connotations, a level of banding I can only aspire to. Favouite food and drink, steak, BLUE not rare, Chateauneuf du Pape, Guinness and tea, milky, no sugar. Other hobbies and interests, cars especially BMWs, teaching drums and percussion, cinema, particularly sci-fi, horror, Japanese anime/manga, tattoos and body modification, reading, computers,/technology/ gadgets, eating out, some sport, only top flight football, test match cricket, not ODI or 20/20, snooker and rugby union.
Steff Harris(2nd Baritone) started playing the trumpet at the age of ten, guided by the never forgotten Sean Thomas. Within six months she joined the junior band on cornet and a year later progressed to the senior band on the back row. Since then, Steff has moved back and forth from the back row and baritone and euphonium but has now found her home on the notorious instrument she plays to this day!
Hayley Ellwood was 13 when she joined the band in 1993. Favourite banding moment was recording our first CD and being promoted to the 3rd section. Favourite drink is Baileys and chocolate and likes to spend time with her family and singing. Hayley is the band's vocalist and features on their latest CD.
Trombones:
Tom Furse came to the senior band via the youth band in 2000 and has been an ever present member of the trombone section. Tom has played in three national finals and multiple contests. Favourite banding moment was recording Chalky's song at Golant and when Adrian and Kevin joined Pendennis trombone section. Favourite food, crisps and coke and other interests include, football, badminton and socialising.
Adrian Dower started on trombone at the age of 11 with Penryn School Band. Joined Falmouth Town Band when it reformed in 1980. Moved to Redruth Town Band in 1985 on 2nd trombone before moving to bass trombone. Also had spells with Camborne and Wendron Silver. Favourite banding moments, first contest win with Falmouth Town Band at Penzance open air contest playing Devon Fantasy and winning Yeovil entertainment contest with Camborne. Favourite food and drink, steak and chips and real ale although Adrian's favourite ale is no longer brewed because the brewery has closed.
Bases:
Eric Thomas began with Camborne Town Band in 1953, playing at the Royal Albert Hall in 1954 and also playing at the same venue in the national finals 50 years later in 2004. Eric also played in the National Youth Brass Band under such legendary names as Dr Denis Wright and Eric Ball. He has also played with Hayle Town Band, Porthleven, Penzance and now Pendennis. Favourite banding moment was being placed fourth at Royal Albert Hall with Camborne in 1977 and 1982. Favourite food and drink, steak and kidney pie, fish and chips, Camp coffee, tea and Southern Comfort. Other interests include Plymouth Argyle FC and his grandchildren's musical interests.
Glyn Thomas is the patriarch of Pendennis Brass who re-formed the defunct old Falmouth Town Band in 1980. Glyn began his banding career by joining the Royal Marine School of Music in 1954 where he served for 12 years as a solo cornet and trumpet player. Glyn was actually taught by one of the legends of the brass band world Professor Walter B Hargreaves, 'the wee professor'. Glyn's favourite banding moment was conducting Pendennis to a winning performance at Bristol in 1996. Favourite food and drink is Chinese and Guinness and his interests outside the band are ornithology and euchre.
Russell Kellow started playing under Fred Roberts in Camborne for seven years and then played in St Erth Village Band for 16years. He followed this up by playing in Portleven, Penzance and then back to Camborne again before joining Pendennis Brass. Russell's favourite food and drink is a pasty and chocolate. Outside of the band he enjoys gardening and visiting National Trust properties.
Kevin Caddy (Eb Bass) started playing at 13. Played in the Albert Hall (1st Horn) with Camborne at 15 then went on to play at Reduth. He had a small break for 20 years and then started playing with Pendennis. Kevin believes he is the only person to play in three bands in one contest on the same day - Constantine, Newquay and Camborne! He now has his own fan club ... of one, his wife Jenny who without her support and encouragement would not have re-started and continued playing.
Percussionists:
Justine Hart began her banding career with a four year spell with Redruth Town Band before going on to university where she spent another 4 years with Torbay Brass. After a 4 year break she returned to Cornwall where she immediately joined Pendennis Brass where she hopes to stay longer than 4 years. Justine's favourite banding moments were playing in the national finals at Harrogate with Pendennis in 2007, mastering the drum kit part for Macarthur Park, which she says was great fun and playing the church organ when accompanying the band in Festmusik. Favourite food and drink, steak and red wine and her other hobbies are playing the piano, suduko and reading.
John Hart joined his wife, Justine, on percussion with Pendennis for the national finals at Harrogate in 2007 and has continued to complement the section ever since. John's favourite banding moment was conducting the band in Amarillo. His favourite food is lasagne and Cobra lager and his other interests are singing, composing and arranging music.
David King is the third member of the Pendennis percussion team. Played with Penzance band before joining Pendennis. Favourite banding moment was winning Exmouth in 2001 and his favourite food is fish and chips and beer. David's other interests are surfing, drumming and driving.
Musical Director
Steve Thomas is the musical director of Pendennis Brass and he began his musical career with the Hayle Junior Band and by the age of 11 was the solo euphonium player of the Hayle Senior band. Over the next 20 years Steve enjoyed success in the top flight of Cornish banding with the Bodmin and Camborne Town Bands. Steve also holds the record for the most years (11) of unbroken service to the Cornwall Youth Brass Band. In recent years conducting and arranging have become a large part of Steve's life and he has completed a course at