Introduction...

Well, I best get the ball going and explain who I am and why I am writing a blog...

I'm John Atkinson.  I started playing the trumpet at school when I was 7, in 1993, because my Dad had once played and my uncles had played in their youths.  I never practised very hard, or strived to do anything, just did it to get out of lessons through Secondary School.  When I realised I might want to carry on after school I found a brass band nearby and joined up, on cornet, around my 4th year of Secondary School.  It was a local band, in every sense, no real aspirations, just a few friends (most of which 20+ years my senior!) having a blow!  I moved up the ranks of the band, quite quickly, and went onto Soprano Cornet aged around 16.

I fell in love with the instrument immediately.  It was a thrill to play, so everyone could hear me, to rise above the band and play as loud and powerful as I could.  For a short while, I played for this band (Chadderton and District - near Oldham, Greater Manchester) and also New Mills Band (in High Peak, near Buxton) because they shared a conductor and he took me under his wing a little.  Jim Farnsworth was a very encouraging man, giving me lots of advice and letting me play solos, for both bands!

I soon realised this was too much, and moved to St John's Mossley, where my brass teacher was conductor.  Steve Corbett had started me off, aged 7, and passed me on to Malcolm Cockerill, for my five years at Secondary School.  At Sixth Form College I returned to Steve, who used to cornet play for Brighouse and CWS Manchester Bands (Steve was actually a good frined of the great soprano player Brian Evans, and arranged many solos for him).

St John's Mossley did contests and this was very appealing.  I stayed there for around two years, a short spell on cornet as I arrived and then on Soprano for the most part.  I enjoyed the competitive nature of contesting and learnt a lot from it.

At 18, I auditioned for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and did four courses on 4th (out of 4) Soprano Cornet - what an experience, for a player who was actually quite average at that time.  Very lucky!  I also began to study Music at the University of Salford, which at that time was the brass band hub of Higher Education, and left St John's to go to Boarshurst, briefly, and then joined Mossley band, who at the time were Championship Section.

In my first year at Salford, I began lessons with Russell Gray, a great teacher and all-round nice guy.  I studied with Russell for the entire time I was at Salford, also playing the advanced band pieces and picking up a Piccolo Trumpet and doing recitals, conducting one of the University bands and studying arranging with Peter Graham, one of the most formiddable brass band composers alive today.  Looking back, this was a great time and a fantastic education!

After Salford, I left Mossley, taking some time out of banding and away from studying.  Still playing, but more at home building on what I had learned from Russell and developing my own skills.  I played briefly with Besses o' th' Barn before being asked to join Pemberton Old Wigan JJB Band, just as Mark Bentham had taken over, and I have been there ever since.  We have had a great run of success so far - qualified for the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall twice and winning Preston Brass at the Guild three times (including two best soloists - that I won!).

Enough self-indulgence and self-gratification - what am I writing a blog for?

Well, because of the unique needs of the Soprano Cornet, and the lack of good information out there for helping aspiring Soprano players, I hope to post information on practice routines, best methods, breathing, embouchure and all things Soprano!  Hopefully, it will be helpful and not to self-centred.