The City of Bristol Brass band are proud to announce that Ian Holmes has Agreed to be our Musical Director.

Ian's Biography -

Born in Bristol in 1962, Ian began his musical education at the age of 5, studying piano at the Garjulo School of Music. At the age of 13, he took up the tuba and received tuition from many of the country's finest tuba players including John Fletcher, Patrick Harrild and John Jenkins. He attended the University of York and graduated with an honours degree in music in 1983. Ian was subsequently offered scholarships to attend the Banff Center of Fine Arts in Canada and the Royal College of Music, London, for a two year postgraduate course to study tuba, conducting and piano accompaniment.

Since leaving full-time education, Ian has pursued a varied musical career as a conductor, performer and teacher. He was the Professional Conductor of the Parc and Dare Band (winner of the BBC Radio Wales Band of the Year 1995), Musical Director of the City of Hull Youth Symphony Orchestra and has also appeared as guest conductor with the Sun Life Band. In March 2000 he became the Resident Conductor of Buy As You View Cory Band, British Open and National Champions and European Brass Band Championships runner up 2000. He has played tuba with the London Brass Virtuosi, Wilbraham Brass Soloists, Sun Life Band and many freelance orchestras; he has also appeared as piano accompanist to the Childs Brothers and been an examiner for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He worked at Clifton College as Assistant Director of Music and Head of Brass and was Director of Music at Colston’s Collegiate School in Bristol.

Ian became Musical Director of Aldbourne Band in Wiltshire in April 2002 and has conducted and co-produced their CD recording, Aldbourne; he has also recently conducted Cwmaman Institute Band and Tongwynlais Temperance Band. In addition to freelancing as a conductor and pianist, Ian is a Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of the West of England.