About Us
Staines Brass Bands have been making music since 1930, and have occupied the band HQ in the Lammas Recreation Ground in Staines since 1990.
Formerly the Staines United Temperance Band rehearsing at the Staines Methodist Church, the band has grown to include both a contesting brass band competing at the top national levels, Staines Brass, and a high-quality concert band performing in and around the borough, the Staines Lammas Band.
Staines Brass rehearse on a Thursday night, 8pm-10pm
Staines Lammas Band rehearse on a Tuesday night, 8pm-10pm
Band President: John O'Hara
Staines Brass
2nd Section Band
Gareth Trott
Musical Director
We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new Musical Director, Gareth Trott. Gareth is a very talented young musician from Pembrokeshire in South West Wales. Seen as a major appointment for the band, he lists his skills as a conductor, band trainer, teacher and soloist. He is also an established composer in the brass and wind band worlds.
Gareth is a serving military musician, currently with HM Band of the Irish Guards and transferring to the Welsh Guards in November 2022.
In his time in the British Army, Gareth has explored a colourful career performing all over the world and for a vast array of occasions such as the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the first presidential visit of Donald Trump, and performances alongside Tom Jones and Bryn Terfel for the BBC Festival of Remembrance. More recently, Gareth has been involved in both the proclamation of King Charles III and the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
From his early days of playing with Goodwick Brass Band and Milford Haven Town Band in Wales, Gareth learnt to play the euphonium and was a former member of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales as well as the National Youth Orchestra of Wales.
Continuing this early success, Gareth took up a career in music studying for a BMus Performance Degree and Brass Band Studies with Dr Robert Childs at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
Gareth also holds the title of Euphonium Tutor at the London College of Music and is a euphonium Ambassador for Geneva Instruments.
As a composer, Gareth is emerging within the brass band and wind band worlds, most notably known for his work with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band on his six-movement work ‘Eastern Horizons’ (2021).
The appointment of Gareth as Musical Director will be seen as an opportunity by the Staines-based Band to re-energise following an eighteen-month shutdown of activities caused by the pandemic.
On his appointment Gareth stated “I relish the opportunity to work with the band in what is a transitionary rebuilding period. The band’s ethos is great and they are keen to musically push themselves. I look forward to trying to make a difference to their continuation and development as a cohesive musical team. I am excited by the band’s ability to reinvent themselves on a contest and concert platform in the near future.”
Musicians:
Cornets
Soprano - Tim Mylechreest
Principal - Dan Gordon
Front Row - Susan Withenshaw, Sam Rees, Sarah Page
Repiano - Zoe Macdonald
2nd - Jackie Panayides, VACANCY
3rd - Joanne Day, Sue Maple, Bob Hawkins
Flugel and Horns
Flugel - Jonathan McCoy
Solo Horn - Emma Elliot-Smith
1st Horn - Heather Rowlands
2nd Horn - Paul Barker
Euphoniums & Baritones
Solo Euphonium - Stephanie Westwood
2nd Euphonium - Scott Morrison
1st Baritone - Nigel Campbell
2nd Baritone - Nic Deverill
Trombones
Solo Trom - Gary Hunter
2nd - Catherine Harwood
Bass - Ian Head
Basses
EEb - Alan Westwood, VACANCY
BBb - Min C Lee, VACANCY
Percussion
Kit - Dave Longman
Tuned - VACANCY
Auxiliary Percussion/Timps - Reece Elverstone
Staines Lammas Band
Community Band
Tariq Ahmed
Musical Director
Tariq’s journey in brass banding began at primary school, when a Tenor Horn was randomly handed to him from the school’s stock of instruments. From that moment, he stuck with the instrument, progressing through the Blackburn and Darwen Junior Band.
After advancing through Blackburn and Darwen’s ‘B’ Band and securing his place in the Senior Band, Tariq discovered where his true passion lay. At his very first rehearsal, he fell in love with the power and emotional strength of a brass band. The sheer depth of sound and the shared intensity of performance left a lasting impression, sparking a passion for the medium that continues to inspire his conducting to this day.
In addition to joining the Lancashire Youth Band as Principal Horn, Tariq went on to spend significant periods with other successful bands in the North-West region. This included Wingates, Besses o’th’ Barn, and Leyland. Career highlights include multiple CD recordings, appearances on BBC Radio 2, European tours, performing at the prestigious British Open Brass Band Contest, and winning the North-West Regionals with Leyland under Garry Cutt. There have also been some more unusual moments—such as performing a solo dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and taking part in a ‘Calendar Girls’-inspired photoshoot atop a tank in Skegness!
Tariq’s conducting career began with the Blackburn and Darwen ‘B’ Band. In 2011, he was appointed Musical Director of Blackpool Brass, achieving notable contest successes over three years, including 1st places at the Northern Open, Fleetwood Contest, and Brass at the Guild.
Following a spell with Staines Brass between 2019 and 2022, Tariq was delighted to be appointed Musical Director of Staines Lammas in November 2022. Tariq is also Musical Director of Epsom and Ewell Silver Band, a first section contesting band. He continues to combine a passion for performance with a commitment to developing brass banding at every level.
Musicians:
Cornets
Soprano - Llewellyn Wells
Principal - Peter Wallace
Front Row - Anna Howson, Joan Whittaker, Caz Woods
Repiano - Rachel Bywater
2nd - Chris Venn, Beth Isaac
3rd - Malcolm Brown, Lisa Leuillette, Peter Tallent
Flugel and Horns
Flugel - Caitlin Harris/ Matthew Tickle
Solo Horn - Emma Elliot-Smith
1st Horn - John Gillespie
2nd Horn - Jessica Walukiewicz
Euphoniums & Baritones
Solo Euphonium - Andy Barrett
2nd Euphonium - Paul Henry
1st Baritone - John Bunyan
2nd Baritone - VACANCY
Trombones
Solo Trom - James Owen
2nd - Ricky Govan
Bass - Shelly Worthington
Basses
EEb - Kate Barrett, Colin Northrop
BBb - Maria Essers, VACANCY
Percussion
Kit - Laura James
Tuned - Jasmine Lucas-Brown
Auxiliary Percussion/Timps - Chris Smewing