Roger Webster is looking forward to keeping up his popular visits to bandrooms up and down the country as part of his role as an ambassador for Besson Musical Instruments.

Over the last couple of years he has visited bands in just about every region of the country, and as he told 4BR he has been especially thrilled to see the next generation of young conductors and players started to blossom.

Roots

His latest visit though was back to his own roots when he visited Rockingham Band where he cut his teeth as a young principal cornet player.

"It was great to go back and meet up with people who helped me along my career path as a young up and coming player,"he said.

"It was also great to see that same ethos remain today — encouraging and developing young talent. That's what the visits I've been doing through Besson have been all about; advising and encouraging, and putting something back into a movement that has given me so much."

Young and raw

He added: "I was a very young and raw principal cornet player in 1976 at Rockingham and it was the great Derek Ashmore who gave me the encouragement to keep improving as a player.

I've never forgotten that, so it was great to return to the band and repay that faith in me."

I was a very young and raw principal cornet player in 1976 at Rockingham and it was the great Derek Ashmore who gave me the encouragement to keep improving as a playerRoger Webster

Concert outcome

The outcome of the visit is that Roger will now be the guest soloist with the band at a concert on 21st July at St Margaret's Church in Swinton.

And as current MD Adam Whittle told 4BR: "It's been brilliant to have Roger back and to agree to perform with us in a special concert. Some of our members where at Rockingham in the days when he was principal cornet so as you can imagine it was like going back in time for them!

Thanks to Roger the future looks great for the band and we hope we will see him come along for a visit many more times to come."