Camborne Brass
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Alan Pope BEM


 

 

 

Alan was born in Redruth in 1961 and began learning to play the cornet at the age of five.  He joined Carharrack and St Day Band and then moved to St Austell Town Band, competing in the National Finals with them.  Alan also played in numerous solo contests throughout Cornwall and the South West with major success.  In 1974 he joined Camborne Town Band, remaining there until 1977 when he joined the Army.  Alan spent two years training at the Band of the RAC Junior Leaders Regiment in Bovington, Dorset, and was then posted to Germany with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards Band.  He later studied at the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall under Professor Ian McKintosh, and was awarded the prestigious Cousins Memorial Parchment for exceptional proficiency on the cornet.  He was principal cornet for six years and was also Commanding Officers' Trumpeter.  This gave him the opportunity to travel the world and play at numerous prestigious occasions in front of the Royal Family and dignitaries.

 

 

Conductor

Alan became Musical Director of Camborne Youth Band in 1999.  The Youth Band won their first National Title in 2004.  This was the first of seven National Titles in a total of seven visits, including the Premier Championship in 2009.  In 2001, Alan formed Camborne B Band (later known as Camborne Brass).  This band incorporated the more advanced players from the Youth Band and afforded them the opportunity of competing in the adult arena.  Starting in the Fourth Section, this band reached the First Section in 2010.

Alan is also Musical Director of the Junior Contesting Band and Training Band.  The Junior Contesting Band competed for the first time in 2008, winning the Junior Section of the Cornwall Brass Band Championships.  In 2015 they achieved second place in the Third Section of the West of England Regional Championships followed by first place in the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival, and a remarkable second place in the same section at the National Brass Band Championships.  They have continued to make excellent progress and since 2020 have been competing in the First Section.  

Alan was awarded the Treverva Shield in 2004 by the Gorsedh Kernow for the encouragement of music making by young people.  This acknowledgement of his work was followed by the Harry Mortimer Medal awarded by the Worshipful Company of Musicians in 2008, in recognition of services for the teaching of young people in the brass band movement.  In 2010 Alan was made a Cornish Bard for his services to music. 

Alan is a full time brass teacher, teaching in schools and also privately.  He was a tutor and lead conductor at Cornwall Youth Brass Band until December 2015.  He has been a conductor and tutor at Wessex Summer School since 2005.  Alan was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to music and young people in Camborne in the 2017 New Year’s Honours List.