Player Spotlight
Daniel comes from Stockton-on-Tees in the North East of England. Daniel was brought up in the Salvation Army, his dad being the young peoples bandmaster and his mother the junior choir leader. He started playing at a young age having picked up cornet at only 5.
He then attended the Birmingham Conservatoire and studied cornet with Ian Porthouse and Roger Webster and trumpet with Andy Stone-Fewings and Alan Thomas.
In Daniels professional life he has worked as a freelance trumpet player which included working for The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), playing in a number of well-known Shakespeare plays but also ‘modern’ shows, with his last one with the RSC being Matilda in the West End.
Daniel is principle cornet of The Household Troops Band of the Salvation Army a role which he has had for over 20 years. He has been a member of Grimethorpe Colliery Band, Brighouse and Rastrick Band, Desford Colliery Band and now holds the principle cornet seat at Easington Colliery Band.
As a performer Daniel has travelled Australia, Singapore, Canada, America, Jakarta and several European countries. He has performed in many of the worlds iconic concert venues such as Sydney Opera House and the Royal Albert Hall.
Daniel the Head of Music and Drama in a comprehensive school in County Durham.
Whilst music is a big part of his life, he enjoys travelling and spending time with his wife Georgia in their campervan. Georgia and his sister Hannah are also in the Easington Colliery Band
Daniel Robson
Principal Cornet
Year Joined: 1991
Positions Held: Principal Cornet / Assistant Principal Cornet, Repiano, Solo Horn, Solo Eb Bass, Solo Bb Bass, Bass Drummer on Marches
Started playing cornet at the age of 12 in the neighbouring village with Seaham Town Band and moved on to Soprano Cornet after a year, a position he held for 4 years until the Tuba beckoned and he realised he was never going to make it as a Sop player.
Johnathan left Seaham to join Easington on Solo Eb Bass aged 19, he also played Bb Bass for 1 contest in the 1st section....which we won.
After several years, Jonathan started on Tenor Horn when the Solo Horn seat became vacant, an instrument he has excelled on.</p><p>Johnathan had to leave Easington for a couple of years in 1999 when he moved to Scotland with work, where he joined the Whitburn Band back on Eb Bass.
On moving back south, he rejoined the band on Solo Horn once again and it wasn't until a few years later that he took the decision to move on to Cornet as 2nd man to the legendary Dennis Todd. When Dennis left for health reasons, Jonathan took on the Principal chair for a year until our current principal cornet player (Danial Robson), joined.
Johnathan is now back on his treasured Solo Horn chair but still misses the cornet. He often switches back to cornet at Christmas time for the many carol playing engagements we have. He has also occasionally played Bb Bass but more regularly the bass drum for Durham Miners Gala and the Remembrance Day parades.
Johnathan Collins
Solo Horn
Linda Hobbs
Eb Bass
Linda started her brass playing adventure at secondary school. Her music teacher was a tuba player in Kettering Salvation Army and thought it would be a good instrument for her to learn. She then progressed to Daventry Brass Band and the Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band conducted by John Berryman.
After leaving school in 1980, Linda became one of the first women to gain a place at the Royal College of Music in London to study tuba, and was taught by John Jenkins. Whilst a student she played for the Hanwell Band in west London conducted by Ian Johnson.
After graduating, Linda moved back to Northamptonshire and became a primary school teacher. She then spent many happy years playing for bands in the Midlands including Jaguar Cars (City of Coventry), Kibworth Band, GUS, Jaguar Land Rover and William Davis Construction Group. During this period Linda had the opportunity to work with notable conductors including Ray Farr, Major Peter Parkes, Ian Scott and again John Berryman. This time included many contest performances including at the National Finals, The British Open and The All England Masters as well as broadcasts on Radio 2 and Radio 3 and memorable concerts.
Upon retiring from work Linda and her partner Bob, who she met through banding, moved to North Yorkshire and was delighted to be able to join Easington Colliery. When asked why she is prepared to travel so far to band she said, 'Playing in a band is such a great joy and a privilege. Easington is a fabulous band with a proud history, ambition, excellent players and conductors. Why wouldn't you want to be a part of that'.
