WFEL Fairey
History
Founded in 1937 by a group of employees at the Fairey Aviation Works in Stockport, the Band achieved many musical successes under the brilliant direction of Harry Mortimer, their Musical Director for over thirty years. Since those early days, the Band has been 16 times British Open Champions and National Champions of Great Britain on 9 occasions including back to back National wins in 2002 and 2003. Winners of the European Championship, BBC ‘Best of Brass’ and Granada ‘Band of the Year’ titles add further touches of distinction to this famous Band.
Since its formation the band has seen an illustrious line-up of conductors that comprises Harry Mortimer, Richard Evans, Walter Hargreaves, Geoffrey Brand, Major Peter Parkes, Roy Newsome, James Gourlay, Howard Snell, Garry Cutt, Allan Withington and present MD Phil Chalk.
The Band is in constant demand for concerts, both at home and abroad. Overseas tours have included performances in Canada, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg.
In recent years the Band has played at the Opening of Tate Modern the re-opening of Olympic Park and Late @ The Tate as well as at the players’ private victory party for Manchester City FC at the end of the 2013/14 season. Further afield the band performed at the annual “Foreign Affairs” Festival in Berlin and the 25th Quartier d’Ete Festival in Paris
All this and more makes up the pedigree of what is, undoubtedly, one of the World’s leading brass bands.
Principal Players
Soprano: Matthew Hall
Principal Cornet: Hedley Benson
Flugel Horn: Peter Shaw
Solo Horn: Emma Conway
Solo Baritone: Ciaran Young
Solo Euphonium: Peter McDonough
Solo Trombone: Rebecca Lundberg
Eb Bass: Mark Evans
Bb Bass: Simon Roberts
Percussion: Beth Cordell
