Thomas Wyss
Our MD is generously sponsored by Mr & Mrs Halsall
Thomas Wyss was born in Switzerland and studied music at the Conservatoire of Bern and Fribourg.He was Swiss Tuba Champion on 6 occasions and played with the Brass Band Berneroberland and the National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland.
In 1986 Thomas moved to England to study at Huddersfield College where he gained the A.R.C.M. , L.T.C.L.(T.D.) and L.R.A.M. Diplomas.He went on to study conducting,composition,arranging and band training for a further 4 years with Howard Snell.
Thomas was a member of the Britannia Building Society (Fodens) Band for over 8 years and before that played with the Grimethorpe Colliery and Sellers Engineering Bands.He was a founder member of the Howard Snell Brass and Tuba Soloist of the renowned Quintessence Brass Quintet.
He has conducted most of Britain’s Top Bands,and he is in great demand as a Guest Conductor with Bands on the Continent.Thomas was resident Conductor at the Williams Fairey Band,professional Conductor of the Tredegar Band, and was the musical director of the Fodens Richardson Band and most recently the Northop Band.Thomas is currently the Musical Director of the Leyland Band.He has guest conducted the National Youth Band of Switzerland. Thomas is also in demand as an adjudicator,and has adjudicated at venues and major festivals throughout Britain and Europe,including Norway,Holland and Switzerland.
Thomas currently teaches music at King’s school in Chester and at Lymm High School.
He arranges and composes music for any brass combination,including band,ensembles and school and teaching material.All his pieces are distributed and published by MF Publications in Switzerland. He has published music with Kirklees, Obrasso and Rakeway Music.
In his spare time , Thomas enjoys playing Golf and watching Manchester United playing football.
Richard Evans
Richard Evans is one of the most colourful and flamboyant characters on the World brass band scene today. With a unique ability to instil pride and passion into every player, he is ultimately the driving force behind each band he conducts.
Born in Aldershot, the son of a regular soldier, he spent his first two years of his life in India. On return to England, the family moved to Preston, Lancashire. It was in nearby Leyland that he was introduced to the cornet with the British Legion Band. Within three years Richard was a founder member of the National Youth Brass Band, becoming principal cornet under the direction of the late, great Harry Mortimer OBE, CBE. Leaving his first band, he moved to the Leyland Motors Band (the original forerunner of the Leyland Band) and studied under founding fathers Harold Moss and William Haydock. National Service took Richard to Berlin, and on return to civilian life, he spent two years with the Black Dyke Mills Band.
However it was in the art of conducting that Richard was to carve a brilliant career. Upon graduation from the Royal Northern School of Music, he began full time teaching and worked as a freelance trumpet player with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, the Manchester Mozart Orchestra, Syd Lawrence and many other famous ensembles. During this time his conducting skills were being perfected in a vast theatre of experience, including brass bands, choral societies, and the directions of opera. 1975 was to provide a milestone in Richard’s career that would take him to the very top of his profession. While conducting Wigan Cecilian Choral Society, he was asked to audition for the position of Musical Director with the Wingates Temperance Band. He accepted the position and within three months he had won the British Open Championships at his very first attempt. 1976 saw him moving to the Fairey Engineering Band, continuing to gain a reputation for flair and innovative musical direction to the highest standard.
At the beginning of 1978, Richard was recruited to rebuild the Leyland Vehicles Band with the specific remit of achieving Championship status within three years. The Band made history with their meteoric rise through the brass band super league and their name changes, Leyland DAF, BNFL, JJB Sports Leyland Band, and finally “Leyland Band”.
Richard’s prowess as conductor, teacher, adjudicator and movement leader was rewarded in 1986 when he was the recipient of the J Henry Iles Medal presented by the Worshipful Company of Musicians of the City of London. He has worked with band’s the world over and he proudly holds the post of Musical Director of the National Youth Band of Scotland. Richard remains one of the most charismatic and dynamic conductors within Britain today.