Meet the Musicians

Kim Anderson – Kim plays the trumpet in the South Cumbria Brass Ensemble and has worked as a semi-professional musician since the age of 16, running a brass quintet in Leicester and playing in orchestras and working as a pit musician.  She studied at Leeds College of Music, gaining a BPA Honours, specialising in the Trumpet and winning the Rosamund Orchestral Brass Prize.    She then trained to be a specialist Brass Teacher in Birmingham and gained a PGCE in Secondary Music specialising in Instrumental Tuition. She has lived in Cumbria since August 2004  when she moved to Cumbria to take up a full time teaching post.

Kim is also a freelance poet and can create a bespoke poem for your wedding if required and given a generous time frame!  This can be done in consultation with the bride and groom or as a surprise gift.   Examples written for previous weddings are available.

Jody McQuiston – Jody studied at Birmingham Conservatoire for a BMUS (Hons) in Music and then went on to win a coveted place at the Royal Academy of Music to study for a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance, where she was awarded a Distinction.  Whilst at the Academy she was awarded the EMI Sound Foundation Bursary.  She then studied for a PGCE in Secondary Music at the Institute of Education in London and worked as a secondary school music teacher in London.  She toured with the opera singer Katherine Jenkins in 2006 and freelanced with the London Sinfonietta.  In 2007 she moved to Cumbria to take up a post as a full time brass teacher for Cumbria Music Service.  She is the conductor of Egremont Junior Band and a member of the Cumbrian Horn Ensemble.  She is a member of the Grittleton Chamber Music Course.

Ian Bird -Ian plays the cornet in the South Lakes Brass ensemble.  Ian has been involved with various musical ensembles all his life, singing in various chamber groups and securing leading roles in amateur dramatic productions in the local area.  In the past he has worked as a composer, arranger and conductor with the theatre group Welfare State International and as the musical director of Walney Junior Amateur Operatic Society.  Ian is now the conductor of the Barrow Steelworks Band, the last remaining adult brass band in the town and plays the cornet in various brass bands in Furness.  Ian can arrange any music that you may require for your wedding – please get in touch for more details.

Len Davey – Len plays the tenor horn in the South Lakes Brass ensemble.   Len first started playing in the Boys Brigade and has performed at the Royal Albert Hall as a singer and brass player.  Over the years he has played Flugel Horn and Cornet but he now plays Solo Horn with the Barrow Steelworks Band.

Len is also a guitar player and singer and has performed for fifty years in different bands including jazz, pop, dance bands and show bands.  He currently plays in ‘Second Edition’ who plays 60s-80s music for socials, weddings and other functions.

Jim Jefferson– Jim plays the trombone in the South Lakes Brass Ensemble.  He has been playing the trombone since he was 17 years old and has played in many bands throughout the Furness area.  He now plays Principal Trombone with the Barrow Steelworks Band.  Jim carries his trombone everywhere with him, including on holiday and has been a guest player in various concerts with brass bands up and down the country.  Jim has spent many years supporting the young brass players in Barrow and now volunteers with the Barrow Shipyard Junior Band.

Alison Griffiths – Alison Griffiths in a former life worked as a civil engineer and a yoga teacher.  Now much in demand as a tuba player throughout Cumbria, she recently performed in a world premier of a piece for eight tubas.  She plays regularly with Barrow Steelworks Band and volunteers with the Barrow Shipyard Junior Bnad.

David Griffiths – David plays the trumpet in the South Lakes Brass Ensemble.  David is currently studying at the Saturday School at the Royal Northern College of Music.   He is Principal Trumpet of the award-winning Barrow Shipyard Junior Band and in 2013 won 1st place in the Solo compeitition at the South Cumbria Music Festival.  He plays with the Barrow Steelworks Band and the UVHS Big Band, Swing Band, Wind Band and Brass Ensemble.