Solo Cornets

Principal Cornet - Rob Commons

Rob is a bit of a legend in the Cornish Brass Band scene (so he says), and started playing at a very early age with the St. Dennis Youth Band. He has moved around a bit, having also played with the St. Austell Youth Band, St. Austell, Camborne, Bodmin, and St. Dennis Bands and won many solo prizes in his younger days.

Having had a short break from brass band playing, Rob decided to pick up his cornet again at the beginning of 2013 to join Roche Brass.

Assistant Principal Cornet - Steve Hawkey

Steve started playing at the age of 8 years with St.Dennis youth band, when they were national youth champions of Great Britain on 2 successive occasions, and then in the senior band on solo cornet.

Steve moved to St.Austell playing flugel under Freddie Roberts then on to bumper up conducted by Alan Jenkin. He then moved to Bodmin on principal cornet, playing at the masters, nationals, and grand shield on many occasions on either principal or soprano, having also played at the Albert Hall. He has played on TV on Best of Brass with Bodmin Band.

Steve has also played with Mount Charles and St. Dennis on Principal cornet, as well as short spells helping out Camborne, Redruth, and St. Pinnock.

Solo Cornet - Neil Armstrong

Profile coming soon

Solo Cornet - Mark Leigh

Having started with Carharrack & St Day at the age of seven, in 1983, Mark moved via Lanner and Bodmin Town to Camborne in 1993. After a couple of years back at Bodmin he returned to Camborne in 2001.

He has been Principal Cornet of Cornwall Youth Brass Band and narrowly missed becoming Principal Cornet of The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain when a second audition placed him in second position.

Mark suffers from mild asthma which the breathing techniques required in playing a brass instrument helps him to control. Mark is a Senior Officer in the Health Service.

After many successful and enjoyable years at Camborne, Mark joined Roche Brass in 2013.

Solo Cornet - Nicky Pascoe

Nicky started playing at the age of 12, when a neighbour persuaded her and other youngsters in her street to come along to the learners group of Saltash Town Band. Nicky soon received her invitation to move up into the senior band and experienced her first contest, playing 2nd cornet at the CBBA Contest in Truro, where her band won their section and Nicky caught the banding bug! 

Nicky moved to Repiano Cornet by age 14 and was sat in the Principal Cornet seat at age 16. Nicky continued as Principal Cornet with Saltash, with some breaks here and there, raising a young family, until 2019. As well as entering regular contests with Saltash, Nicky took up opportunities to dep with local higher section bands and has contested with Bodmin and Soundhouse Brass.

In 2021 Nicky joined Indian Queens Band as Principal Cornet, winning best instrumentalist in the third section at Bugle 2022 and celebrating a 3rd place in their section at the SWBBA Contest in Torquay in 2022.

Nicky has depped with Roche Brass on a few occasions over the past few years and accompanied the band as a supporter to this year’s Area Contest and Blackpool when husband Graham joined the Bands’ ranks. She is thrilled to be offered the opportunity to play with the band on a permanent basis and is looking forward to the year ahead.

Solo Cornet - Brendan Caddy

Brendan originates from Cornwall where he began playing the cornet with the St. Austell Town Band at the age of 7, moving to the Mount Charles Band when he was 11, taking up the position of Soprano Cornet.

He subsequently joined the National Childrens Brass Band of Great Britain, progressing to the National Youth Brass Band at 13. He left Cornwall in 2012 to study Classical Music at Birmingham Conservatoire and continued his playing career with Tredegar Band.

Brendan took up the conducting post with the Kibworth Band in the summer of 2019 after having already achieved success with the local Leicestershire Co-Op band.