The Enderby Band

Explore the band:

Introduction
Musical Director
Players
Galleries
We like

Introduction

Midlands 1st Section Area Champions 2014 & 2019

1st Section National Finalists 2018 & 2019

Bolsover 1st Section Champions and 'Most Entertaining Band' 2018

Wychavon 'Most Entertaining Band' and 1st Section Champions 2017

Shirebrook Entertainment Champions 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2019

Woodfarm Brewery 1st Section Champions and 'Band of the Day' 2015 & 2016

Enderby Band at the Clock Tower, Leicester The Enderby Band (sometimes referred to as The Senior Band), is the organisation’s premier ensemble and the root from which the Enderby Band Organisation has grown. Village records state that there was a temperance band in Enderby in the 1850’s, however the band was officially formed in 1895 when members of the temperance band joined with a new group to form the Enderby Band.

From these early days the band quickly grew and throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s they were the pride of Enderby and much in demand, often being invited to attend more engagements than they could possibly fulfil. It was not unusual for the band to appear at three different engagements on a Sunday during the summer; church in the morning and then two concerts in the local parks. One tradition that survives to this day is for the band to be out on Christmas and Boxing Day mornings entertaining the residents of Enderby Village with carols and festive music.

During the inter-war years the band was very successful, getting promoted to the highest tier of brass band competition and adopting the name ‘Enderby Silver Prize Band’ as a mark of their achievements. However the onset of World War 2 had the inevitable effect on membership and the standard declined.

After the War, the band reformed, but it seemed destined to never achieve its former glory. In fact by the mid-seventies, the band was all but defunct. At this point Garry Sleath (now the Organisation’s President), took on the task of rebuilding the band. Success returned to the band, numbers grew and a youth band was formed. Enderby Band again began to achieve significant contest successes and have remained as a top-end First Section Band since the mid-eighties. During this time the band has twice spent time in the Championship Section and in 2020 the band once again find themselves in the elite Championship Section, having gained promotion from the 1st Section. Our aim is to continue and consolidate our Championship Section status and to continue to perform at the very highest level.

The current band is a well balanced mix of players from our own youth band and a number of experienced players from Leicestershire and the wider Midlands region. We are proud to state that around half of the band's current members have come through the ranks of the Organisation. Once again the band is enjoying a period of contesting success, with qualification for the National Finals and successes at contests around the country showing that the band is building a genuine nationwide profile, whilst still being a proud and active member of the local community.

Whilst contest success is good for bragging rights, as a community band, the concert platform is not overlooked. The band’s philosophy is to perform to the highest standard possible, whilst still providing a good value and enjoyable entertainment experience for its audience and its players. As well as its own concerts in and around Enderby, the band has become a regular contributor to events at Leicester’s Curve Theatre, appearing in the Christmas production of Hello Dolly, at Curve’s 5th Anniversary event and for the recent World War 1, 2 and Queen's birthday commemoration concerts. The band has also featured in two productions of the stage musical ‘Brassed Off’ and has twice appeared at De Montfort Hall with a combined Rock Choir to perform in concerts which raised tens of thousands of pounds for the local Rainbows charity.

Musical Director

Steve Phillips

Musical Director

Steve comes from a Salvation Army background and initially studied Euphonium and Conducting for his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Salford before returning there to focus exclusively on conducting through a Master of Arts degree, where he graduated in January 2001.

Steve has spent extended spells living abroad for his career as a School Principal and Inspector, but whilst in the UK has gained extensive experience over the past 25 years conducting Championship, First and Second section bands in Yorkshire, the Midlands and London & Southern Counties areas.

Steve has held the position of Musical Director of the Bedford Town and City of Cambridge Bands. He was also previously the Resident Conductor of the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band and has been a guest conductor with bands such as Sellers International, Yorkshire Imperial Metals and Hepworth Bands.

As well as being the current Musical Director with the Enderby Band, Steve is also the Resident Musical Director with the world-famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band, joining them in April of 2023.

Steve has performed all over the world as both a player and conductor, at venues in France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, America, Canada and Australia, performing on Radio, TV and even on the big screen with the Stocksbridge band in the hit film The Full Monty!

Away from his professional achievements, Steve is married with 2 children and, with his wife Sonja, also provides a foster home for children.

Simon Oates

Associate Conductor

Simon Oates started playing at the age of ten with a Lincoln based youth band before progressing to their senior band, Ruston Bucyrus, taking the Soprano Cornet seat by the age of 12. He joined the Foss Dyke Band in 1984 as their Soprano Cornet player at the start of a very successful run of contest results leading to the band going from the fourth section to the Championship section within seven years.

By the age of 16, Simon had completed all the grades in performance and theory with the Associated Boards of the Royal Schools of Music and held the title of Junior Slow Melody Soprano Cornet Champion of Great Britain. He studied music at Newark College after leaving school and frequently deputises for bands and performed with Manchester’s BT Band at the annual BT charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall where he was fortunate to play alongside Goldsmiths Choir and Peter Skellern.

In 2000 Simon accepted an invitation to join Nottinghamshire’s premier brass band, Thoresby Colliery where he was regularly featured as a soprano cornet soloist performing in the gala concert of the French Brass Band Open in Amboise in 2003 and as part of the band broadcast on BBC Radio 2’s ‘Listen to the Band’. He claims to be the most televised soprano cornet player in the world following worldwide media coverage at the opening ceremony of the memorial gardens at the London American Embassy in 2003.

Simon enjoyed contest success with Thoresby winning the French Open Brass Band Championships in 2003 and playing in contests such as the All England Masters, Grand Shield and the Mineworkers Championships and has been asked to deputise on soprano for Grimethorpe Colliery Band, Fodens Band and Desford Colliery Band.

In January 2015 Simon was invited to join the Coventry based Jaguar Land Rover Band, ranked as one of the top 50 brass bands in the world winning the Senior Cup trophy that year, becoming runners up in the Grand Shield in 2016 and qualifying for the British Open Brass Band Championships in 2016.

Simon’s Trumpet playing experience includes that of Principal Trumpet of the Newark College Orchestra as well as several guest soloist spots in Lincoln Cathedral where he performed as a soloist accompanied by the Cathedral organist. He has also been engaged as guest trumpet player for the Cantamus Girls Choir. Whilst at music college, Simon was also engaged to perform many lunchtime recitals at the Lincoln Usher Art Gallery. In 2012, he was a founding member of Lincolnshire’s leading orchestral brass quintet, Tennyson Collective and continues to perform with the ensemble throughout the UK.

As well as an accomplished soprano cornet and Eb trumpet player, Simon is also an experienced conductor having deputised for conductors on the brass band circuit for many years.

Simon commenced his training as a conductor through the National Association of Brass Band Conductors residential training courses studying under course director Trevor Walmsley and being influenced by many leading conductors that he has had the privilege to play under.

As well as NABBC training, Simon conducted several ensembles at music college and competed in the Midlands round of NABBC young conductor.

In 2014 Simon accepted an invitation to become the Musical Director of Foss Dyke leading the band to Third Section Midlands Regional Runners Up in 2015, qualification to the National Finals and promotion to the 2nd Section before he relinquished the position in 2016.

In 2017, after a break from conducting, Simon accepted an invitation to join the Enderby Band organisation in Leicestershire to become the Associate Conductor of their senior band, working closely with legendary Tuba virtuoso and Musical Director, Simon Gresswell.

Players

Click a player for their profile

Cornets
Jason Abbott
Soprano Cornet
Trevor Hounsome
Principal Cornet
Abigail Patterson
Solo Cornet
Claire Fok
Solo Cornet
Ian Hayto
Solo Cornet
Sadie Baxter
Repiano Cornet
Kathryn Hill
2nd Cornet
Sarah Lewis-Thomas
2nd Cornet
Megan H
3rd Cornet
Maisie Lee
3rd Cornet
Horns
Bex Ransom
Flugel Horn
Paul Speed-Andrews
Solo Horn
Jenny Robinson
1st Horn
Vacancy
2nd Horn
Trombones
Melissa Brown
Solo Trombone
Sam Hayto
2nd Trombone
Thomas Chinery
Bass Trombone
Euphoniums and Baritones
Ben Smith
Solo Euphonium
Ryan Garton
2nd Euphonium
Chris 'Stan' Stanley
Solo Baritone
Vikki Oates
2nd Baritone
Basses
Danielle Whittingham
Eb Bass
Philip Ash
Eb Bass
Peter Seddon
BBb Bass
Chris Lee
BBb Bass
Percussion
Matt Lee
Percussion
Colin Pearson
Percussion