Those who know me well, will tell you that I am a very patient and tolerant person. I “go with the flow” on most things in everyday life, but there is one thing I can’t stand and will not tolerate, and that’s rudeness and bad manners.

Each one of us will have a different definition of rudeness, however my attention was drawn to the media reports this week, following the Wales v Australia Rugby International, played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. (I’ll just quickly squeeze in here, that I was in the Regimental Band of The Royal Welsh, that played the Anthems prior to the kick-off!). There was much made about the pockets of bad-mannered fans who were booing the Australians when kicking for goal, despite repeated requests over the public-address system for quiet. This usually takes place in complete silence, out of respect to the kicker! Yes, 60,000+ people, even if the majority want him to miss!

With tickets now being made available to a wider non-rugby based audience – previously the vast majority were sold to rugby clubs – there is now a cross-section of “supporters” attending matches, many of whom now just go for the atmosphere and the “craic” and have no real understanding of the niceties of the game itself, nor the way a fan is expected to conduct themselves throughout the game.

Then, last night, a friend of mine (who is a member of a world-renowned orchestra) posted on social media, that a number of the audience at a performance he was participating in, talked all the way through the entr’acte to an Opera. Now some of you are thinking, “What’s the big deal, the performance doesn’t really start until the curtain goes up and the singers start?” Others, like me are thinking, “How rude and how disrespectful!”

Gethin Liddington is one of the finest Jazz Trumpeters on the UK circuit nowadays – and one of the most placid guys you will ever meet – yet he mentioned to me that he regularly has to contend with people talking through his gigs, often just feet away from him, making it very difficult to concentrate and to enjoy the gig. Should a performer have to get embroiled in a dialogue with a member of the audience and politely ask them to be quiet (because they didn’t know any better), or are they just being downright rude and ignorant?

I have sat in the audience, where someone sat in front of me talked all the way through a Concert, up until their “little precious” took to the stage. Suddenly the ground-rules took a seismic shift and woe-betide anyone who dared to cough or rustle their programme during Hermione’s special solo! That person was just rude and ignorant in my book. Oh, once Hermione finished her slot, said person left the Concert before it finished, upsetting Tabitha’s parents during her special solo – but that didn’t matter of course!

Music has sadly been consigned by many, to be something that goes on in the background of our lives. During Sports results on TV, whilst we’re in the lift or shopping in the Mall, or on hold on the phone waiting to sort out our gas bill query. To talk through any music is the norm now it seems.  So as venues, ensembles and musicians constantly strive to attract new audiences, is it necessary for us to “gently” advise our newer patrons, that a certain “etiquette” is expected of them? Then they won’t inadvertently upset performers and audience alike. As for the established audience members, who continue to talk and leave mid-performance, perhaps they just need a large dose of manners?

Andrew Jones (far left) and Gethin Liddington (2nd from left) in action with the Phil Dando Big Band

For more details about Andrew Jones and Music for You, please visit the following website.

When talking about Pioneers who have been notable in developing and advancing a particular movement or industry, one thinks of names such as  Louis Pasteur, the Wright Brothers and Thomas Edison. In the world of music, names such as Bach (Fugue) and Haydn (Symphony) spring to mind, when discussing composition, but there are other figure-heads, or “movers and shakers” as we now like to call them, that are maybe not as well-known, but no less influential in their respective fields. On this day in 1935, saw the birth of trumpeter, conductor, composer and arranger Elgar Howarth. Howarth was brought up in a traditional brass band background (his Father was a conductor) and went on to study music at Manchester University and the Royal Manchester College of Music, alongside the likes of Harrison Birtwistle and Peter Maxwell Davies. This collective would be later known as  New Music Manchester, promoting the composition and performance of new music. Howarth was a key figure in bringing brass band and symphonic (orchestral) brass ensemble repertoire in to the 20th Century and to a whole new audience. This audience however, included both performer and listener alike. Through his pioneering work with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band and the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, he succeeded in composing and arranging repertoire that brought these genres in front a whole new audience, making massive advancements in terms of instrumental combinations and blends of sounds. Within the brass band movement, Concerts and Entertainment Contests would now never be the same, following Grimethorpe’s ground-breaking performance in 1972, at the Granada Band of the Year Competition, where Howarth compiled a programme that would completely revolutionise how conductors would approach programming and presentation from therein. As for the PJBE, along with Philip Jones himself, the “standard” Brass Quintet format was born, consisting of 2 Trumpets, a French, Trombone and Tuba, plus the 10-piece Ensemble of 4 Trumpets, French Horn, 4 Trombones and Tuba. Repertoire using larger forces were to follow, making brass chamber music a vibrant and exciting genre, which would stimulate new works from composers such as Malcolm Arnold, Ray Premru, Stephen Dogson and many more. Many of his compositions were initially shunned by the brass band movement, being regarded as too avant-garde, but in time, works such as “Fireworks” and “In Memoriam RK” have been accepted in to the hearts of players and listeners alike. He also appeared under the pseudonym of W. Hogarth Lear, showing a much lighter and humorous side to his personality. Happy Birthday Mr. Howarth and thank you for your pioneering work and legacy!

I am one of those lucky people who is extremely fortunate to be living the dream and working in a job, which I enjoy immensely, hopefully bring pleasure to many, giving opportunities to travel the world (Hamburg, Germany this week with the Regimental Band of The Royal Welsh!), meet lots of interesting people and see some wonderful sights and ultimately get paid for the privilege.

Those are the perks. The downside features are the long, unsociable hours, particularly working evenings and weekends, the endless hours travelling to and from jobs and the volatility of work “feast or famine”. One minute not knowing what day it is and where you are meant to be next, followed by “Diary drought”, not knowing where the next job is going to come from. Despite all that, I know that there are many other trades and professions who share these issues and have much greater hardships to endure, so I’ll stop moaning. I wouldn’t change a thing, as I know I am extremely blessed to be doing what I do.

You would think though, that having now played the Trumpet and Cornet for just over 40 years (gulp!), that the need to practice was long gone and one could just get on with it, until finally deciding to “hang up one’s mouthpiece”. Alas, no!

“He’s not practicing again?” is the usual comment when someone pops round or rings the house, as the obligatory scales, lip-flexibility and technical exercises are rolled out, with religious necessity. Why? Well, put simply, being a brass player is just like being an athlete. Ok so we haven’t got the physique of Usain Bolt or George North (I wish!), but one must not only maintain and strive to improve standards, but ensure that lips muscles are kept strong and flexible to ensure good stamina and accuracy.

Co-ordination skills (fingers and tongue) and lung capacity when not breathing/blowing so intensely also go out of the window after any significant time off.

“So what is a significant period?” I hear you ask.

For me, I work on the old saying “Miss a day and you know about it. Miss 2 days and your friends know about it. Miss 3 days and every bugger knows about it!”. Sad but true I’m afraid. everything goes out of the window if I go more than a few days without putting the “hooter on my chops” for at least 20-30 minutes each day. I do have friends and colleagues however, who I know can go weeks without blowing a note and get away with it, with no apparent lack of quality or consistency. I hate them all for their good fortune!!!

Apart from athletes, how many other professions require that level of application I wonder? Do carpenters go down the shed every day to do a dovetail joint, or a chef pop in to the kitchen to work on a Beef Wellington ?

In the meantime, I will continue to count my lucky stars that I’m in a profession that I’m passionate about and hope that my “necessary” daily practise, allows me to stay in that role for many, many years to come.

For more information about Music for You, please visit my Web-site

Needs must! Martini practise session – “Any time, any place, anywhere”