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ABOUT THE BAND
Southdowns Concert Band is a group of around 40 musicians who play regular concerts in the Sussex area. Some as fund raising ventures in conjunction with a variety of local Charities, Churches and Community organisations. The band has a passion for music, and upholds and maintains the true spirit of the concert band. Each member of the ensemble strives for excellence, continually eager to improve and achieve higher musical standards.
The band performs a wide, varied and most versatile musical repertoire to suit all tastes, from popular classical standards to the more challenging works of the modern wind band repertoire. Most importantly, the music making is an enjoyable experience for musicians and audiences alike.
Members come from all over the county. Some are involved in music professionally, as school teachers or as instrument tutors, others play for local community or town bands but enjoy the challenge of performing to a higher level
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
Kirsty Sanders
BMus(Hons) LRSM
Kirsty grew up in Portsmouth and at the age of seven she began playing the Clarinet and then later took up the Saxophone. She played in several local wind bands, including Highbury Area Band, and Portsmouth Youth Jazz Band. In 2005, after gaining her AS Levels, Kirsty joined the Royal Marines Band Service as a Clarinet and Violin player.
Since completing training in 2008, Kirsty has been drafted to RM Band Portsmouth (Royal Band), RM Band Collingwood, RM Band Lympstone and RM Band Plymouth. In this time Kirsty has also achieved her BMus (Hons) degree, graduating from Plymouth University. She has been part of the RM Band Service Recruitment Team, and in 2018 she was selected for promotion to Band Sergeant. She successfully came top of the Senior Command Course
before completing the RM Band M1 Qualification course in 2019. Kirsty has also served at the RM School of Music as the Clarinet and Violin instructor where she enjoyed coaching
and mentoring the recruits, and she had her first opportunity to conduct the RM Band. In April 2021 Kirsty completed the RM Bandmasters course where she had studied music for
one year under Dr Liz Le Grove, conducting under Malcolm Binney and composition under Paul Patterson. She also successfully gained her LRSM qualification in Wind Band Direction
during this period.
During her time in the RM Band Service Kirsty has taken part in many high-profile commitments including the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the funeral of Baroness Margaret Thatcher and the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She has
travelled around the world to many places including China, Jamaica, Sweden, Switzerland, Guernsey and Holland.
Kirsty is delighted to be appointed the Musical Director of Southdowns Concert Band and is looking forward to making music with many talented musicians. Kirsty currently lives in
Waterlooville with her husband Craig, who is also in the RM Band Service.
THE COMMITTEE
Essential to the band processes, the committee dedicate their time organising music, concerts, rehearsals and much more. In readiness for the moment that we can again swing into Action. If you think you could help us in any way please say so! We will need your ideas, experience and enthusiasm in order for the band to continue bringing our audiences amazing music once again.
Meet the people that make the Southdowns Concert Band possible
BRENDA BAILEY
I organise our concerts from start to finish. I am the “go to girl” if you want to book the band.
DOMINIC SMITH
Since leaving H.M. Forces as a musician, I enjoy playing with the South Downs Concert Band. I also teach A level Music, the flute and enjoy playing the bass guitar in rock bands.
CHRIS TERRY
I have been teaching Brass to the young people in the area, and playing in the Band for many years.
SARAH COE
Clarinet
JULIE SCHOFIELD
I am lead clarinet and have played with the band for twelve years. I am a peripatetic clarinet teacher who loves walking and historical buildings!
JOE HULS
Joe Huls is a full time visual designer and music arranger. He holds a degree in music education from Central Michigan University and was a music educator, arranger, and composer in the USA for 14 years before moving to the UK.
MARTIN JEFFERY
I joined the band in 2007. Music is my greatest love, apart from my wife (who I met through the band in 2014) and my two children. I love the variety of music we play in Southdowns.
GEMMA WARREN
Gemma began playing the oboe at the age of 11 and was awarded a scholarship to study at the Guildhall School of Music.
Her oboe and cor anglais playing have seen her perform in youth and county orchestras, touring to Germany and also playing at the Royal Albert hall.
She finds music a wonderful way to relax after a busy day at work.
ELLEN DARBY
Ellen began playing the clarinet at the age of 7. She picked up bass clarinet while studying music at the University of Chichester Conservatoire in 2021.
She has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and recorded at Abbey Road Studios. She is in 3 different concert bands and loves performing.