Penclawdd Brass recently helped principal euphonium player, Alun Evans, celebrate his 70th birthday in style, when they converged on the local rugby clubhouse for a party at the conclusion of a shortened rehearsal.

Love affair

Alun commenced his love affair with brass when he took up the cornet with Pontarddulais Band at the age of seven. Both of his brothers and his father were also playing members.

However, he soon moved over to euphonium when his brother Dewi left to join Munn & Felton’s Works. The ‘Bont’ had a very successful period in the 1950’s under conductor Cliff Ward, winning the National Championships in London in 1955 (3rd Section) and 1956 (2nd Section).

Unfortunately, the conductor died prematurely in 1957, to be replaced by William Skelton (the legendary solo horn player with the Ferodo band) who steered the band to the Championship Section finals of 1958 at the RAH.

He has been an inspiration to many aspiring young euphonium players, including Bob and Nick Childs, who in their formative years were encouraged by their father to listen to Alun’s artistic playing on competition daysMD, Tony Small

First competition

The test-piece was Rubbra’s ‘Variation on a Shining River’, which featured an intricate, testing soprano and euphonium duet in unison – and this was to be Alun’s first competition on principal euphonium, a position he has held with distinction with various bands over the past 52 years.

In the early 1960’s Pontarddulais almost disbanded, before returning to the 4th Section, but Alun joined Ystalyfera Public to continue his development on euphonium.

Titles

During his time at Ystalyfera, Alun won 9 National Eisteddfod solo competition titles, was 3 times Welsh solo Champion which entitled him to compete at the National Solo Championships of Great Britain, where he won an outstanding 2nd prize in 1965.

He was also invited to play for the National Brass Band of Wales, performing annually at National Eisteddfod concerts.

Alun joined Penclawdd Brass in 1983, helping them to win the National Championships (2nd Section) at the RAH that year and the Welsh Area (Championship Section) in 1986, as well as qualifying for a few more national finals.

Charismatic

MD Tony Small told 4BR: "Alun, a charismatic man of a quiet disposition, has been a most loyal, dedicated band musician all his life. A few years ago he suffered a mild heart attack and just before Christmas he received the shattering news that doctors thought he had lung cancer – but fortunately, this recently proved to be an incorrect diagnosis."

Inspiration

He added: "However, these setbacks did not prevent him from attending rehearsals and events regularly. He has been a fantastic role model to all band persons, always leading by example through his impeccable, stylish musical performances, always producing a consistently high level of phrasing and quality of sound, as well as his dedicated loyalty to the cause.

"He has been an inspiration to many aspiring young euphonium players, including Bob and Nick Childs, who in their formative years were encouraged by their father to listen to Alun’s artistic playing on competition days!"