Trombones

Solo Trombone - Mike Brown

Mike studied the trombone at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, with Chris Mowat being the Head of Brass. Since then, he has taught for the Cornwall Music Service and has played in various settings, including The Three Spires Orchestra and Cornwall Sinfonia. He has also conducted The City of Truro Wind Orchestra and continues to teach pupils of all ages. 

Brass banding is a recent addition to Mike's repertoire and he says he enoys the technical challenges that it offers. Mike joined Roche Brass at the end of 2016.

2nd Trombone - Ben Orchard

At the age of seven Ben first began playing the tenor horn under the tutelage of Derek Greenwood. At ten, and when his arm was just about long enough, he switched to the trombone and joined his first band, that of the 1st Truro Boys Brigade.

Since that time an eclectic musical career has seen him perform at venues as diverse as St Michaels Mount to Wembly Arena, Giants Stadium to The Royal Albert Hall and from Disney World to playing Village People hits in the infamous gay quarter of Cologne. He joined Bodmin Town Band shortly before the 2004 area contest.

Ben also enjoys cycling, badminton, eggs, the colour blue, Rentaghost and 321 (with Ted Rogers and Dusty Bin). His favourite film is the early Mike Leigh masterpiece Nuts in May and his lucky soup is Tom Yum.

Bass Trombone - Mike Saville

Unusually for a student, Mike spent his time at the Royal College of Music actually practicing the trombone. This meant opportunities for playing at the highest level presented themselves on an all too regular basis.

Never one to be considered a 'one trick pony’, Mike found himself invited to play all styles of music. Some examples include: Early period music (Gabrieli Consort), Orchestral (LPO), Opera (British Touring Opera), Shows (various west end), Light Music (John Wilson Orchestra), Big Bands (Glenn Miller UK) . . . . . and even in the occasional brass band. Of course all taking place in the obligatory major concert halls and on radio & TV.

Having discovered what 15 years playing the same show/music can do to the mind of a sane person Mike decided the best way to buy his own shed was to get a ‘sensible’ job and move out of London. A new (and definitely more lucrative career!) in IT has followed working for IBM, Deutsche Telekom and BT.

Mike has taught trombone at Universities and colleges and therefore over the past 20 years lots of trombone students have had the pleasure (!!) of Mike’s view on the tromboning world, many going onto to study at conservatoires and having careers in their own right.

In keeping with the more traditional brass band biographical style it is probably correct to mention here that Mike first played with Chichester band aged 13 and with lots of others since, won some contests, a few solo prizes and played in National Finals at the Albert Hall.