*
banner

Hello and goodbyes at Carlton Main

New player signings for Carlton Main as they set sights on major success later in the year.

Carlton Main
 

Carlton Main Frickley Colliery has said both hello and goodbye to playing talent from their famous South Elmsall band room.

130th celebration

The band is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year and hopes to add further silverware to their contesting CV at the forthcoming major championships at Birmingham and London.

Jessica Martin and Anna Spedding join the band on solo horn and flugel horn from Yorkshire Imperial Band, whilst Daniel McLoughlin, comes in on second trombone from Hepworth.

Sop seat

Connor Lennon takes over the soprano role following the vacancy created by the outstanding Garry Bates having to end his long tenure due to increased work commitments.

The band has also been saddened to lose the services of long serving baritone player Heather Law, due to the exhausting travel commitments from her home in Stockport.

Her replacement is Hannah Platt, former solo baritone of Leyland, who will now team up with second baritone Pete Watson who is making a return to banding after a brief retirement, having in recent years played for Hammonds.

We are all geared to working hard with our Professional MD Phillip McCann and look forward to the coming months with real anticipationMD, Leigh Baker

Major changes

MD Leigh Baker told 4BR: "These are major changes as we confidently look ahead to the major contests of the year.

We are all very excited about the new talent joining the band, but also sad that we have to say goodbye to some very committed players, who have served the band so well over the years.

We are all geared to working hard with our Professional MD Phillip McCann and look forward to the coming months with real anticipation."

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


British Open

Result: 2026 Spring Festival — Senior Cup

May 2 • Kirkintilloch claims the Senior Cup honours as Rainford, Tongwynlais Temperance and East London Brass join them in the Grand Shield in 2027.


2026 Spring Festival

Result: 2026 Spring Festival — Senior Trophy

May 2 • Sandhurst Silver claims the Senior Trophy honours as Sovereign Brass, Unite Scotland Kinneil and Yorkshire Imperial are also promoted to the Senior Cup.


Fleetwood

Fleetwood back on demand

May 1 • You can enjoy all 32 performances from the recent Fleetwood Contest on demand


British Open

Live stream broadcast from Spring Festival

May 1 • All the action from the 104th British Open Spring Festival is to be live-stream broadcast this weekend.


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Sunday 3 May • St Alfege Church. Greenwich Church Street SE10 9BJ


Regent Hall Concerts - FiveBy5 Trumpet Quintet

Tuesday 5 May • Charlton House and Gardens. Charlton Road, . London. . SE7 8RE


Regent Hall Concerts - Royal Greenwich Brass Band

Friday 8 May • Regent Hall. (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Wardle Anderson Brass Band - Wardle Junior Blast

Friday 8 May • Milnrow Parish Church, 16 Westward Ho, Milnrow, Rochdale OL16 3JX


Regent Brass - Woodbridge Excelsior Band and Russell Gray

Saturday 9 May • The Salvation Army (Regent Hall), Oxford Street, London W1C 2DJ


Wellington Silver Band (Somerset)

May 2 • Bb Basses. With Colin Dance now appointed as our MD and our other Bb Bass leaving due to work commitments, we have openings for two Bb basses. We are a friendly community (4th section?) band with a variety of gigs including our own Proms in the Park.


Wellington Silver Band (Somerset)

May 2 • Tuned Percussionist. We are looking for a tuned percussionist to join our friendly community (4th section?) band. We have a variety of gigs including our own Proms in the park, charity concerts, fetes, (maybe contesting). Other brass players welcome.


Tintwistle Band

April 28 • Tintwistle Band are looking for a Soprano and front row cornet players to help complete our team.. We rehearse Monday and Thursday 8-10pm at our own bandroom on Old Road in Tintwistle, and perform a variety of concerts all year round.


Darren R. Hawken

PGdip, BMus(hons) PGCE, dipABRSM, LRSM
Conductor, Arranger, Teacher, Adjudicator, Band Trainer


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd