The death has been announced of Alan Jenkins, the former principal tuba player with the Halle and London Symphony Orchestras, who for many years was the hugely influential chief writer for Brass Band World magazine. He passed away on June 8th, aged 91.
A multi-faceted musician, he was also a respected teacher, conductor, arranger and composer.
Playing career
His distinguished playing career started with Stockport Citadel Band before he joined the Halle Orchestra, becoming one of the UKs leading orchestral tuba instrumentalists working under the likes of Sir John Barbirolli.
In 1963 he joined the London Symphony Orchestra, performing in a brass section containing the likes of Denis Wick, Frank Mathison, Howard Snell and Willie Lang. He was also a member of its Board of Directors.
In 1967, at a time of great turmoil at the LSO, he could have become its Company Secretary as part of proposal put forward by its French Horn virtuoso and Orchestra Chairman, Barry Tuckwell.
USA
Instead, he headed to the USA with his wife Michelle, where he enjoyed undertaking a period of study at the University of Texas as well as writing as a theatre and music critic for many leading newspapers.
The family returned to the UK in 1982 where he became an admired lecturer at Huddersfield College of Technology, conducting its choirs and starting a successful musical theatre group.
His return also saw him renew a close association with the banding world, conducting Hepworth Band in the early 1980s, and leading them to a top-six finish at the Second Section National Finals in 1984.
A fine singer, he also became Musical Director of Honley Male Voice Choir from 1988 to 1997, conducting them on many memorable recordings and performances, including at Wembley Stadium ahead of 1994 Great Britain versus Australian rugby league test match.
Brass Band World
In 1991 he joined forces with publisher and friend Robert Mulholland to become the Chief Feature Writer with the newly launched Brass Band World magazine.
Over the following two decades and more he was to become its trenchant voice of insightful opinion and critique, his deep reservoir of musical knowledge and respect for its participants making him essential reading for anyone wishing to understand and appreciate the movement's performance strengths and organisational weaknesses.
Admired
He shaped opinions and outlooks, especially in his support of new compositional voices for the medium, and whilst readily appreciating talent, did not shy from criticism, even of those who he greatly admired on the concert and contest stage.
Wonderful company at any event, he later enjoyed himself enormously as a generous and ever supportive 'eminence grise' to fellow brass band writers, offering invaluable advice and guidance.
Saddened
As a result he made countless life-long friends — all of whom, as well as many more across the banding world who knew him through his insightful writing will be greatly saddened by his passing.
He is survived by his wife Michelle, to whom he was married for over 69 years, as well as his children Rosalind, Paul and Amanda, and grandchildren, Larissa, Jenny, Ashley and Sebastian and two great grandchildren.
