Trombone Section

Trombone Elizabeth Bannan (Wizz)

Elizabeth (Wizz), a former member of the Band, has recently returned to the area with her husband Toby.

Daughter of band members Trevor and Jayne Bateman, we are obviously delighted to have Wizz re-join the Band and she has already helped improve the section and the band as a whole.

Wizz began her musical life as a cornet player. At the age of 14 she made the move to trombone and quickly took up the principal trombone seat of North East championship section band Easington Colliery, where she went on to win a number of prizes at both at local solo contests and at regional brass band contests.

In 2011 Elizabeth moved to Manchester to study trombone at the Royal Northern College of Music, generously supported by the John Fewkes (Leicestershire) Instrumentalist Scholarship Fund. Here, she received tuition from world class trombone players including Simon Cowen, Roger Cutts, Jiggs Whigham, Rob Holliday and Chris Houlding.

Alongside her studies at the RNCM, Elizabeth was a member of the Brighouse and Rastrick band, the European Union Youth Orchestra (2013/2014) and was reserve Principal Trombone of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra (2013-15).

After graduating she remained in the North West area and retains close links there following her recent move back to the North East. She regularly performs as a freelance musician across a broad range of styles and ensembles including most recently the Hallé, Orchestra of Opera North, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

Trombone Kim Edwards

Kim joined the Band in 2017, having formerly played with Murton band.

She is the sister of our Baritone player Keeley.

Her profile will appear here shortly.

Bass Trombone Toby Bannan

Toby has recently moved to the area along with his wife Wizz. Toby is an extremely talented and experienced Bass Trombone and Tuba player and has already helped improve the section and the band as a whole.

Toby was born in Dublin, Ireland, and started to learn the bass trombone at school after his family moved to Yorkshire. Whilst studying at the Royal Northern College of Music and the University of Salford, Toby received trombone tuition from Andrew Berryman, Chris Houlding, Paul Milner and Les Storey. As a student, Toby received the Harry Mortimer Memorial Trust Award, the Iwan Williams Award for performance, and the Roy Newsome Award for conducting.

Proving himself to be a versatile bass trombonist, Toby has performed with a broad range ensembles including the BBC Philharmonic, English National Ballet, Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and Ulster Orchestras, contemporary groups such as Portugal’s Remix Ensemble, and big bands including Apitos and SK2.

Within the brass band world, Toby has been a proud member of the Brighouse and Rastrick, Fairey, Fodens, Grimethorpe Colliery and YBS bands, and has performed in winning performances at every major brass band competition.

Toby currently juxtaposes performance opportunities with a teaching position at a school in the north of England. His interests also include golf, snooker, cooking, fine wine, and supporting Irish rugby teams.

Toby met his wife Elizabeth (Wizz) at a gig, wooing her by performing while wearing a pink cowboy hat!