PRINCIPAL HORN  

Brian Connolly

Home Up

 Click on pic below for larger image 

  Brian Connolly.jpg (236450 bytes)

 Contact: Brian 

Brian started playing in 1958 with The Agnes Street Band on baritone. He quickly moved on to euphonium but in 1965 moved to Tenor Horn. He played solo horn for the band but transferred briefly in 1974 to 1st Old Boys before moving to The Templemore Band in 1975. In 1988 he went back to The Agnes Street Band also on solo horn until it's closure in 1994, the final year as its conductor.

In his playing career he has won the Irish Solo title 3 times and was a prize-winner on many occasions. He also won many solo awards at Entertainment contests and Music Festivals all over the country. In 1979 he gained 6th place at the British Solo Championships.

Brian doubled his playing with conducting and teaching and over the years conducted The Hillsborough Band, Carrick/ Whitehouse Silver, The Templemore Band, Agnes Street and C.W.A. Brass. He has been a brass tutor at the Belfast School of Music for the past 17 years.

In his time conducting C.W.A. Brass they won the Irish and B.B.L. Championships as well as other entertainment contests. As conductor of C.W.A. he had to give up competitive playing in 1994 but has played with Festival Brass, a charity fund raising band, for the past nine years. Brian says he relishes the challenge of playing for the band again and would like to thank everyone in the band for the opportunity.