The Horn Section

Lois Kidby – Flugel Horn

My interest in playing music started when I was at school. I did the usual recorder thing, then my friend started learning cornet and I was so impressed I started lessons myself (it seemed like a good idea at the time). I joined Cosham Concert Brass in 1979, where I remained for the next 20 years. During my time at Cosham I played every cornet position apart from Soprano over the years, including a brief appearance as principal cornet for one contest (yes they were desperate). Cosham were also responsible for me meeting my husband who joined the band in 1993 on Solo Horn. John and I joined Chichester in 1999, I started off on Repiano moving on to front row for a while and have some how ended up on Flugel. Since joining Chichester I feel both my playing and confidence have improved (thanks guys) and so far the last 3 years have been my best banding years yet!

John Kidby – Solo Horn

I was taught to play at my secondary school that had a successful school brass band, but nearly didn’t learn to play at all. One problem was there were too many applicants to learn brass in the first year (hard to believe nowadays), another problem was the policy of not teaching boys to play musical instruments who were in lowest two academic grades, and I was in the lowest. I persistently asked the brass teacher throughout my first year to be taught, and even got most of my other teachers to campaign on my behalf, but he didn’t want to know. By the end of the first year when I’d more or less given up asking, my parents attended a parents evening and persuaded a sympathetic choirmaster to teach me instead. I often wonder whether the brass teacher was right, but I’m afraid the brass band world’s stuck with me now.

Jane Bourne – 1st Horn

I first took up a brass instrument at school in London, at the age of fourteen. I actually wanted to play a clarinet, but the music teacher said he only had trumpets left – oh well; it kept me indoors in the winter! I progressed from the school band (consisting of 1 trumpet, two trombones, three clarinets and one oboe – lovely!) and joined Crystal Palace Brass Band, then based in Balham, South London. Obviously, I had to change my trumpet for a cornet, and later moved onto Flugel. A few years later, I was invited to join Handcross Brass Band on 2nd cornet. My lasting memory of that band is playing at the Area (then in Watford) and winning, which meant the band would be promoted to the Championship section – quite scary at the time! Ooh, sorry! What I meant to say is that my lasting memory was meeting Colin. We have been married now for over twelve years! After moving to Brighton, we joined Uckfield Band. Between us, we held nearly every committee position at some point in our time there, but again, following a move to Arundel, the travelling became too much. We joined Chichester City Band in January 2001. I must say that I feel more at home in the 18 months I’ve been in this band, than in any other.

Mary Williams – 2nd Horn

Mary is married to our MD and plays second horn. She has been in banding for nearly twenty five years, playing with Portsmouth City, Brighton Silver, Oxted and Mid Sussex before joining Chichester five years ago.

Irene Boyall – 2nd Horn

Irene is one of the bands longest serving members having joined on Solo Horn in 1984.