January 2008 – July 2013 & January 2016 – Present
Chris first started learning the cornet at age 7, with the Manx National Youth Band whilst living on the Isle of Man. He did reach the dizzy heights of Principal Cornet, but that was mainly because no one else wanted it. Once Manx Concert Brass was formed (the senior band to the Manx Youth Band), he moved onto Repiano Cornet with MCB. Growing up and having to get a job meant leaving the Isle of Man, and that also led to a 6 year break from playing. Strangely, that break coincided with a fair bit of contest success for his former band….
By this time, Chris had settled in the Manchester area and began playing again. A brief but enjoyable spell at Littleborough Band followed, and then he persuaded Flixton Band to let him have the Repiano seat in 2008. A good few very enjoyable years followed, during which he moved onto Soprano Cornet after having made a rash statement to the MD at Butlin’s that “it didn’t look that hard” …
A move away from Manchester in 2013 meant sadly having to leave Flixton Band for a while, but thankfully Didsbury has once again become home so he has turned up again like the proverbial bad penny.
He is looking forward to many more happy years at Flixton and adding many more photos to “scandal-cam”!!!
Chris also has a “proper job” as a pilot for Virgin Atlantic Airways, which is the perfect excuse for missing band every so often.
Chris’s most memorable banding moment:
“Winning the area with Manx Concert Brass years ago – something I’m hoping to repeat with Flixton!!!”
Adie Smith is our Musical Director.