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Front row cornets
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Grant Taylor - Principal Cornet

Grant, like a few other members of Hebden Bridge,
grew up playing with Wardle High School. His dad, Roger, plays
Bb
Bass with Hebden Bridge. Grant is currently studying to become
a music teacher. He was promoted to Principal in November 2003.
Les Smail

Born in Scotland, Les began his playing days with
Selkirk Silver Band. In 1972 he left the Borders to join Hammonds
Sauce Works Band where he held the principal cornet chair for six
years. A change in direction saw him turn to conducting and he
has taken Hammonds Juniors and Yeadon Old Band who, in 1999, gained
second place at the Yorkshire Area, taking them on to the National
Finals and also winning promotion to the second section. Les joined
Hebden Bridge in 2003 with wife Colleen (soprano). They live in
Shipley with daughter Lucy and son James.
Matthew Shaw

Matty started his playing career aged six, on trumpet
at school. He moved onto cornet in 2002 and six months later joined
Clifton and Lightcliffe Junior Band. A year later he joined the
senior band at Clifton, progressing through the ranks to front
row. In 2005 he joined Hebden Bridge and went with the band to
his first National Finals at Harrogate. Later that year Matthew
was recognised by the N.O.E.L. project as a Future Hero, which
has enabled him to fulfill his ambition of playing as a guest with
the Black Dyke Band.
His ultimate ambition is to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and
great grandfather who were both members of Black Dyke; his great grandfather
having first been a member of Hebden Bridge Band (see photo in Archive
page - he's the Euphonium player on the right side of the 1912 photo -
the one with the big ears, naturally). Matty is also a member of the Yorkshire
Youth Brass Band.
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