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Finally, after two long years of waiting, I finally graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a First Class Honours in Music Performance.

Black Dyke retained its' Yorkshire title on Sunday 6th March at Huddersfield Town Hall in a performance of precision, clarity, and supreme musicality. Judging by the ovation at the end of Wilfred Heaton’s demanding “Contest Music,” it was the performance the audience had been waiting for. Performing last of twelve bands, the consensus was that it would see the band retain its’ Yorkshire title. Prof. Nicholas Childs commented that the soloists and band had delivered a virtuosic performance of which they could be proud, with Richard Marshall winning the prestigious ‘Best Principal Cornet’ award.

After 20 months of patiently waiting for the right place to perform the World Premiere of Upon Green Vales, it was great to perform it on 19th December 2021 with Black Dyke Band at Huddersfield Town Hall. Can't wait to play it more concerts in 2022. Have a listen below!

On Black Dyke's final concert of 2021, the band took part in their Annual Awards ceremony. It is an absolute honour to win this and to be a part of Black Dyke Band’s prestigious history of winners of this award, something which I will never take for granted! Thank you so much to the members of Black Dyke, as they voted me their Bandsman of the Year 2021.

📸 British Bandsman | Robbie McFadzean After nearly 16 months, Black Dyke Band took to the stage once again to be a part of BrassPass.TV's Best of Brass Festival, the first concert held inside since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The amount of preparation that must have gone in to this concert is unfathomable. Upon arrival, we were temperature checked, we checked in using the NHS COVID App, and provided proof of a negative Lateral Flow Test, before being escorted into the building and shown to our dressing rooms! Black Dyke often perform at Victoria Theatre, Halifax, as we normally perform an annual Christmas concert there with the Halifax Choral Society, so it was so lovely to be back there and back performing with the mighty Black Dyke Band.

Black Dyke Band's first concert back after the COVID-19 pandemic was held at Almondbury Wesleyans Cricket Club on 6th June 2021. It was a delightfully sunny afternoon, with a packed field of socially distanced audience, all singing the Prom's classics and we performed some of Black Dyke's regular programme pieces, including two horn features of Reet Petite and "Nobody Does it Better" from our James Bond Suite. Great to welcome Steph Wilkins on Flugel too, the newest addition to Team Horn!

Well 2020, you have a lot to answer for but at least I can take some positives from you: My first UniBrass and winning Best Soloist🏆 Gaining a First Class Honours degree👩🏻‍🎓 Black Dyke entering and winning their only contest of the year🏆 Working through a pandemic!🛒 Getting a new solo commissioned for my birthday by the wonderful Neil 🎼💖 Becoming an artist for Geneva Instruments and Randefalk Mouthpieces🎵 Tutoring on the Virtual NYBBGB👩‍💻 Starting my Primary PGCE👩🏻‍🏫 Only catching COVID once!🦠 Spending Christmas in our new rental🏠 Please 2021, back to normality!