Northop Brass and Northop Community Brass Band
Who We Are
Northop Brass and Northop Community Band meet each week under the direction of Ben Thomas. Our ensembles features a mix of experienced, learner, and intermediate musicians, all united by a passion for music. We regularly perform in the local area, often raising funds for charitable causes through our concerts.
Northop Community Band rehearsals take place on Tuesdays from 6:15 to 7:45 pm.
Northop Brass meets on Thursdays, 6.15-745 pm.If you are interested in joining our band, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch!
Introducing our new Musical Director - Ben Thomas
Hailing from Wrexham, North Wales, Ben began learning the clarinet aged 9 under the local peripatetic music service. At the age of 11 Ben started to have trumpet lessons after being introduced to the trumpet from a young age by his Taid, who was a trumpet player himself. Shortly afterwards, he began his journey with both orchestral and brass band performance, progressing through the various youth ensembles, including the North Wales Youth Orchestra, for which he was principal trumpet in 2019. During that same year he gained a place in the National Youth Brass Band of Wales for the first time.
Ben started his competitive brass band journey when he joined Porthywaen Silver Band in 2016, before later joining Ifton Colliery Band (now City of City of Wrexham Brass Band) in early 2019. In 2018, Ben made his debut with the Wrexham Symphony Orchestra, and has been involved with the orchestra ever since.
Ben began studying at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2019, studying trumpet performance under the tutelage of Ross Brown and also studying cornet with Tom Hutchinson in his final year. During his time in Cardiff, Ben was involved in several ensembles, including Markham and District Brass Band, the Cardiff Chamber Orchestra, where he was principal trumpet, and he also had a successful 4 years with the City of Cardiff Melingriffith (M1) brass band, with whom he competed at the National Brass Band Championship finals at the Royal Albert Hall.
It was during his time at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama that Ben found his passion for composing and arranging, which he studied in his final two years under the tutelage of Lynne Plowman. His pieces have been performed across the world, and some have even been performed by some of the greatest brass players in the UK!
Upon graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2023, Ben moved back home to North Wales. Since moving back, Ben has re-joined the trumpet section of the Wrexham Symphony Orchestra, and also joined both Northop Silver Band and the Bill Basey Big Band. He also regularly plays for a variety of other ensembles as a freelance musician, including funk bands, indie bands, jazz bands, orchestras, oompah bands, and soul bands!
