Matthew Bailey, Musical Director
Matthew was born and raised in Wardle, Rochdale and learnt to play at the famous Wardle High School. He was Principle Euphonium for the multi-championship winning band of 1995 and progressed to be Principle Euphonium of Wardle Anderson Band, playing at the National Finals in Torquay in 2002.
Since then he has played at the National Finals again with Hebden Bridge Band and has depped with BMP Goodshaw Band, Whitworth Band and Denton Band.
He currently plays with the Stalybridge Old Band.
He has been Musical Director of Littleborough Public Band for the past six years. He joined a band with 8 players, decaying bandroom and no instruments. Since then, the band has grown to 24, renovated the bandroom, actively fundraised for new instruments and regularly contested again for the first time in 15 years.
As a conductor he is very pro-active, focused on band members positives and promotes a very friendly but focussed atmosphere in the rehearsal room.
He firmly believes every band should ensure that basics of rhythm, balance and tuning are in place before progressing onto harder music, and spend as much time as needed in rehearsal making sure these qualities are in place.
In the past six years he has broadened his musical experiences by attending courses with people such as Richard Evans and David Ashworth. He has successfully directed many varying styles of concert, including Beer and Brass, Proms and Christmas styles.