Hi, I’m Brendan Lancaster; one of the 1st Trombone players with Sumner Silver Band.

I started my Brass Band adventure when I was 7, and as my arm wasn’t long enough for Trombone, began on the Baritone with Woolston Learners. At 9, I moved onto the Trombone, and into the Woolston Junior Band for 7 years. In 2018, I became a member of the Woolston Concert Brass Band on 2nd Trombone, where I then started to play more challenging music.

Currently, I am a member of both Woolston Concert Brass and Sumner Silver Band, which I joined late in 2021.

During my earlier school years, I took drama classes which I really enjoyed and this has given me more confidence with my performances on stage both playing and singing with the band.

I have sung at several band events with Woolston Junior and Concert Brass recently. In particular, I enjoy the American Songbook genre along with Elvis.

In my last year at Mairehau High School, I won the school talent quest where I performed an Elvis medley complete in a full Elvis one piece jumpsuit!

Other hobbies include baking and cooking and I regularly cook the evening meal at home, along with an interest in automobiles of all eras. I have always been interested with driving and I hope my career path will include this, maybe coach driving as I have a love for geography, travel and meeting and helping people.

One thing I have always liked about the trombone is because it has a slide instead of valves, this means the player can do what is known as a glissando, which is a rapid slide up and down the musical scale. The trombone is the only brass instrument that is able to do glissandos which makes it a fun instrument to play, but don’t be caught doing glissandos on all the notes, as the musical director might have something to say about it.

My music journey has brought me in contact with some great people and a large variety of music, and I enjoy playing with the two different brass bands which I hope to do so into the foreseeable future.

If there is anyone who would like to learn a brass band instrument, then come along and join the Sumner Silver Band, as we are always welcoming new members.