Horns

Darren Harris

Jen Freeman

Geoff Ogden

After pestering my Dad for a Trumpet at the age of 7 and despite my mother saying he was wasting his money, he purchased me a Lark Trumpet for $50 from Boans Bunbury. My first band rehearsal with the Manjimup Junior band ended in tears at half time because I could not read music very well but with the help of an older ex-Salvo member, I soon got better. Then despite my year 7 Primary School class teacher telling me in front of my class mates I was not smart enough to be recommended for a music scholarship to Churchlands SHS, a year later I become Solo Cornet player with the Bunbury City Band and then Dad bought me a $2000 Round Stamp Boosey & Hawkes Sovereign Cornet just before I performed Maxwell’s Silver Hammer on Channel 9’s Perth Young Entertainers talent show. After completing an Apprenticeship as a Motor Mechanic and forming and conducting a Junior Brass band, I left Bunbury to study Jazz Trumpet & Music Education at ECU’s WA Academy of Performing Arts Mt Lawley. During this time I had to relearn to play the Trumpet due to long term Embouchure damage so focussed on my Education studies but still play left handed due to not having a proper teacher when I was younger. Since graduating I’ve spent the last 28 years teaching Class Room Music, Brass & Percussion Instruments and Conducting Jazz and Concert Bands with the WA Department of Education whilst still fixing the odd car. In 1999/2000 I went travelling around the world and whilst living in the UK for 6 months I joined the Fulham Brass Band and competed in the London & Southern Counties Qualifying Contest of the National Brass Band Championships. More recently during a 2 year stint as Musical Director for the Bunbury City Band, I took them to the 2021 WA State Band Championships winning the D Grade Brass and highest scoring WA Country Band awards. I joined WA Brass in 2017 and performed with them at the 2019 National Band Championships in Brisbane. My wife likes me travelling to Perth to band rehearsals so she can have a whole evening break from me each week hence the years with them have continued.