Grimethorpe Colliery Band has informed 4BR that co-principal cornet player James Fountain has left the Yorkshire band with immediate effect.

September start

With James set to start studies at the Guild Hall in London in September, with the eventual aim of making a career as a professional trumpet player, Band Spokesperson Nigel Dixon told 4BR that implementing long term planning for the band was essential.

Help

"We are very sorry to lose James, but we know he is going to be a top professional trumpeter and we want to help him as best we can.

With the British Open in the first week of September it wouldn’t have been fair on James to carry on the level of commitment required to continue with us with his studies starting at the same time."

No replacement has been announced with Grimethorpe shuffling their cornet section with Roger Webster leading on principal cornet.

Looking forward

"We knew this situation was going to arise, so we have acted to put in long term plans quickly," Nigel added.

"We have a very strong cornet bench, so we are able to accommodate the change quickly and effectively. Everyone is looking forward to the Open."

We wish him every success for the future and we hope that we will be able to keep a playing connection with him over the coming years. Our loss will be a top class orchestras gain we are sureGrimethopre Band

Remarkable talent

Nigel also hopes that the band will be able to keep James as part of the future Grimethorpe set up.

"He’s a remarkably talented musician and has been a great asset to us over the past year or more. We wish him every success for the future and we hope that we will be able to keep a playing connection with him over the coming years. Our loss will be a top class orchestras gain we are sure."