Sandy Smith
Solo Horn
Sandy was born in Scotland and began his career with the Whitburn Band.
Studying initially in Edinburgh he gained L.T.C.L. and L.L.C.M.
teaching and performing diplomas and also became principal horn of the
National Youth Brass Band of Scotland before moving to Yorkshire.
In 1981 he joined the Black Dyke Mills Band where he spent over ten
years as principal horn. During this time he played all over Europe and
in Israel, Japan and Australia as well as being part of many contest
winning performances at the British Open, National and European
Championships. In 1993 he joined the Stockport based Williams Fairey
Band with whom he again won all the major brass band contest titles.
In 2000 he joined the Grimethorpe Colliery RJB Band and toured
Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong with the band. He has also played
with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Stuttgart Radio
Symphony Orchestra in works requiring tenor horn.
Among the
composers who have written works for him are Elgar Howarth, whose “Horn
Concerto” was premiered at the RNCM Festival of Brass in 2005 with the
composer conducting the Grimethorpe band, John Golland, Peter Graham,
Martin Ellerby, whose ‘Tenor Horn Concerto’ he premiered at the
Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in 1999 with the Williams Fairey Band,
and Andrew Duncan,whose “Gambade” received its premiere on the
Grimethorpe tour of Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong in January /
February 2000.
Sandy is in increasing demand as an arranger
and has lectured on brass band scoring, arranging and the history and
repertoire of the brass band at Huddersfield University.
His teaching activities have encompassed every stage of musical education from primary school to university standard.
He was Professor of tenor horn at the Royal Northern College of Music
in Manchester for many years and has held similar posts at the
University of Huddersfield and Leeds College of Music. He has taught on
many brass band residential courses including the National Youth Brass
Band of Great Britain, the Brass Band Summer School and the National
Youth Brass Band of Scotland.
