It has been announced that Leigh Baker is to take up the role of Musical Director of newly crowned Yorkshire champions Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, after relinquishing his MD role at current North West Champions, Leyland.

Fantastic

He told 4BR: "I’ve had a fantastic 18 months at Leyland, contributing to an amazingly successful period for the band. I’m very proud to have been a part of their return to glory.

However, the Pennine journey has proved taxing, so I’m now looking forward to returning to Yorkshire banding and renewing my relationship with Frickley and Philip McCann."

Great partnership

He added: "Carlton Main has enjoyed a very successful period of late — culminating in their Bradford victory. I thoroughly enjoyed working with them for Butlins and feel the chemistry is perfect to blossom into a great partnership."

Leigh is keen to develop Carlton Main’s exciting talent, although he remains a big Leyland fan: "I would like to wish Leyland all the very best and will happily see them finish second to Carlton Main at the Albert Hall!

They are a great bunch and Michael Bach and Richard Evans have been a pleasure to work with, but I’m excited about taking on a young and hungry team such as Frickley. There is so much potential here."

Pleased

Carlton Main Band Manager, Melanie Kennedy, was suitably pleased with the new appointment too: “To have a musician of Leigh's calibre directing the band is a great catch for us. The band worked so successfully with him at Butlins, creating a great start to the year, and our Area win suggests there is so much more to come. We are so all excited at the potential 2013 holds.”

I’m excited about taking on a young and hungry team such as Frickley. There is so much potential hereLeigh Baker

Tribute

Leyland Band Chairman Iain McKnight also paid tribute to Leigh’s Lancashire tenure:

"Leyland would like to thank Leigh for his hard work over the last eighteen months. Our transformation during this time has been thanks in no small part to his input, and this has been borne out with a highly successful period of contest results. We all wish him the very best in this new venture."