Musical Director

 

Chris Banks Chris Banks

 

Chris began his banding career at the age of eight, following the advice of Dr Buchan, who famously prescribed:


“Get ‘im down t’ band – they’ll teach him t’ breath proper!!”


He joined his local village band in Earby, West Riding, progressing from cornet to euphonium and then baritone. In 1982, he moved from the junior section to the Senior Band on first baritone, when the band competed in the second section.

 

🎶 Championship Section & Musical Mentors

 

In 1986, after several invitations from Championship section bands, Chris joined the Blackburn & Darwen Band. He had studied euphonium under Roy Curran and the legendary Robert Childs. At Blackburn & Darwen, he worked under notable figures including:

  • Gordon Clough (Wingates trombonist)
  • Alec Evans (former Besses O’ Th’ Barn resident conductor)
  • John Anderson (Grimethorpe Colliery Band percussionist)

In 1990, he joined the world-famous Besses o’ Th’ Barn Band, initially on baritone and later Eb Bass. During this time, he made his conducting debut with Ripon City Brass Band, possibly becoming their youngest MD at age 21.

 

🏡 Return to Local Banding & Oxford Interlude

 

Chris returned to East Lancashire in 1994, playing and conducting Nelson Brass. A move to Oxford in 1997 marked a temporary pause in his banding career, aside from brief spells with Yarnton Band and Wantage Silver Band, as his football refereeing career took precedence.

 

🎼 Back to Brass

 

In 2006, Chris rejoined the banding world with Croft Silver in Leicestershire, followed by:

  • Amington Band (Principal Euphonium, 2009)
  • Oddfellows Brass (Euphonium and Eb Bass, 2010)
  • Brass Band of Central England (formerly Jaguar Landrover Band, Eb Bass from 2017 to present)

🧭 Conducting Highlights

  • Coventry Festival Band (MD from 2014): Introduced contesting at Milton Keynes, achieving 6th place as an unregistered band.
  • Syston Band (MD from 2015): Led them to their first contest win in 23 years and a historic qualification for the National 4th Section Finals in 2016.
  • Matlock Band (MD from 2018): Achieved back-to-back wins at the Bolsover Contest (2019, 2021) and victories at NEMBBA.

  • Ibstock Brick Brass Became Assistant MD in September 2021, taking over full-time in November following Dave Lea’s retirement due to ill health.