Andy started playing brass relatively late, first learning the
Trumpet (age 14) at school in Blackburn, Lancashire, soon moving to BBb
Tuba under the guidance of brass teacher Steve Brodie.

Joining the Blackburn and Darwen band organisation soon after, Andy
quickly progressed to the Senior Band under Alec Evans, whilst joining
the Lancashire Youth Brass Band and the Intrada Brass Ensemble (a brass
10 piece with the instrumentation of PJBE/London Brass) shortly after.
Tutoring from Peter Read, Fred Bowker and guest conductors like Les
Beevers and James Gourlay were a great inspiration at LYBB, whilst the
different genre of Intrada taught many ensemble skills.

Andy’s brass band career then accelerated quickly, joining the
National Youth Brass Band at the request of Richard Evans, playing for
Richard, Roy Newsome and Bramwell Tovey, with tutorage from John Gillam
and Sandy Blair.

Whilst at Salford College Andy was taught by Andrew Duncan, and made the
move to Kennedy’s Swinton band, then onto Britannia Building Society
(Foden’s) in the early 1990’s, where winning the 1992 European
Championships with Howard Snell was a highlight.

Since then, Andy has been a member of the Besses o’th’ Barn, Faireys,
Freckleton (player and Chairman) and Brighouse and Rastrick bands
before rejoining Foden’s in 2016.

Alongside Brass Bands, Andy has continued playing Tuba with Intrada
Brass, (guesting with both JSVB and Corus Brass) as well as performing
with many Orchestras, Theatre Bands and Big Bands on both Tuba and Bass
Trombone, sharing stages with artists like James Morrison, Allen
Vizzutti, Bobby Shew, Jens Lindeman, Martin Roscoe, Mike Lovatt and Matt
Ford.

As well as Brass Band and Big Band recordings, Andy has performed on Film soundtracks as well as Radio and TV programmes.

Teaching and direction:

Andy has worked as lower brass tutor for both the Lancashire and Wigan
Youth Brass Bands, County Orchestras in Lancashire and Cumbria, and has
taught both young and adult students in schools and privately for many
years, as well as tutoring brass band Bass sections at all levels. He
currently works with the Foden’s Youth Band as Bass tutor.

Andy has guest conducted many bands and ensembles, and has been Musical Director of several Theatre Productions and events.

Collaborations:

Andy is a Mercer and Barker mouthpiece Artiste, and plays a Yamaha Neo BBb Tuba.