Besson has welcomed two of the UK banding movement's rising stars to its stable of performance artists.

The Brighouse & Rastrick principal cornet and solo baritone duo of Tom Smith and Amy Ewen take on their roles with immediate effect, with a Besson spokesperson telling 4BR: "We are delighted to welcome both Amy and Tom to us and we look forward to having a very positive future together."

Tom

The West Riding band's principal cornet is currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music under Richard Marshall and Prof Roger Webster.

Brought up in Cornwall, Tom started playing cornet with the Camborne Junior Contesting Band, where he stayed until leaving in 2018 to start his studies in Manchester.

He has played with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and has been a member of the Northern Quarters ensemble as well as the likes of Pemberton Old Wigan DW, Grimethorpe and Fairey Bands.

We are delighted to welcome both Amy and Tom to us and we look forward to having a very positive future togetherBesson

Amy

Amy is currently studying for her Masters in Music at the Royal Northern College of Music after gaining a First Class Honours degree from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire under the tutorage of Matthew White and Philippe Schwartz.

Brought up in Hampshire she is the first female player to hold the solo baritone role with the West Riding band, whilst Amy has also appeared as a guest soloist alongside Peter Moore and Philip Cobb at the Great Birmingham Brass Festival 2020, where she performed Peter Graham's 'Concerto for Baritone'.

A founder member of the award winning tuba quartet, When Tuba Come One and of the brass quartet Northern Quarters, Amy also enjoys performing across other genres.