Where were you born (you don’t have to share the date with us if you don’t want to!) and where do you live now?
Born in Huddersfield in 1973 – recently returned to the area after many years away!
Summarise your musical career to date in no more than twenty words!
Got a Choral Scholarship aged 9 & played piano. I then took & gave up the ‘cello, French Horn...then Euphonium.
When did you join Shepley Band – and more importantly, why on earth did you join?!
I joined in October 2009. Having faithfully kept the Euph in a dusty case as I moved from house to house, I decided to do something with it after reading about Shepley Band in the village magazine (it pays to advertise!).
What do you enjoy about being part of Shepley Band? We assume you enjoy the band of course!
The best thing is the philosophy – come one, come all! I also enjoy Judith’s glowing baton and funky i-phone app for tuning up, Sheila’s buns (the cake variety – no sniggering at the back) and a pint or two...
What has been your favourite moment with Shepley Band?
My first Christmas Concert – December 2009
What’s your favourite piece of music of all time?
Very difficult to say – the list is long and distinguished, but after 30 seconds thought, I’d say Sibelius’ Finlandia to play in a Band, Cantique de Jean Racine by Faure for the bath and something loud and rude by The Red Hot Chili Peppers before a game of Rugby or a difficult meeting!
Who’s your favourite composer? Those still living don’t count by the way – it’s all noise with them!
Vaughan Williams, Puccini and Graham McPherson (Suggs from Madness)
Apart from all the hours you put in every day practising (obviously) what else do you get up to in the real world?
Have fun with my family – Megan, Nia and Huw. For work, I develop and manage projects for BTCV – an environmental charity, outside that, I enjoy snowboarding, being outside, watching (now I can’t play) any kind of Rugby, cooking, eating and drinking real ale.
Fantasy Dinner Table – imagine you’re having dinner – who would you want on either side of you – and why?
Bruce Parry (of BBC’s Tribe and Arctic fame) and Tony Benn. Can I also request a seat opposite a young Sophia Loren...to ask her about her career...oh yes, and the view.
Oh, and what’s your favourite food – after Sheila’s World Famous Ginger Biscuits?
A good curry with all the extras
Your private plane is sitting on the runway at Shepley Aerodrome. Where would you like to go today – and why?
Petra, Jordan – it’s supposed to be amazing, but it’s apparently difficult to get there before the crowds, so a plane to land me there at dawn would be just the thing!
You’re a very modest individual, shy and retiring (like everyone in Shepley Band) – but what’s been your greatest achievement to date?
Having a fantastic family first up; then singing Britten’s War Requiem at The Royal Albert Hall with Sir David Wilcox conducting second and having the Crown Prince of Norway in a fight a close third...
We seem to be living in a celebrity culture today – so if you could be a celebrity who would you be and why?
A decent actor like Kevin Spacey or Lewis Moody – current captain of England Rugby. The former, because it’s still an ambition to act and second, because he’s going to lift the Rugby World Cup later this year (2011 – if you are reading this in 2012 and England are reigning champions!)
You’ve managed to get the TV remote control all to yourself. If you could have an evening of your favourite telly programmes what would you watch (after you’d finished daily practise of course)?
A couple of rugby games, then some comedy like Black Books, Father Ted or Blackadder
Finally, you found an old oil lamp on your way out of our Christmas Concert. You rubbed it and Jude the Shepley Band Genie appeared and granted you three wishes. What did you wish for?
Born in Huddersfield in 1973 – recently returned to the area after many years away!
Summarise your musical career to date in no more than twenty words!
Got a Choral Scholarship aged 9 & played piano. I then took & gave up the ‘cello, French Horn...then Euphonium.
When did you join Shepley Band – and more importantly, why on earth did you join?!
I joined in October 2009. Having faithfully kept the Euph in a dusty case as I moved from house to house, I decided to do something with it after reading about Shepley Band in the village magazine (it pays to advertise!).
What do you enjoy about being part of Shepley Band? We assume you enjoy the band of course!
The best thing is the philosophy – come one, come all! I also enjoy Judith’s glowing baton and funky i-
What has been your favourite moment with Shepley Band?
My first Christmas Concert – December 2009
What’s your favourite piece of music of all time?
Very difficult to say – the list is long and distinguished, but after 30 seconds thought, I’d say Sibelius’ Finlandia to play in a Band, Cantique de Jean Racine by Faure for the bath and something loud and rude by The Red Hot Chili Peppers before a game of Rugby or a difficult meeting!
Who’s your favourite composer? Those still living don’t count by the way – it’s all noise with them!
Vaughan Williams, Puccini and Graham McPherson (Suggs from Madness)
Apart from all the hours you put in every day practising (obviously) what else do you get up to in the real world?
Have fun with my family – Megan, Nia and Huw. For work, I develop and manage projects for BTCV – an environmental charity, outside that, I enjoy snowboarding, being outside, watching (now I can’t play) any kind of Rugby, cooking, eating and drinking real ale.
Fantasy Dinner Table – imagine you’re having dinner – who would you want on either side of you – and why?
Bruce Parry (of BBC’s Tribe and Arctic fame) and Tony Benn. Can I also request a seat opposite a young Sophia Loren...to ask her about her career...oh yes, and the view.
Oh, and what’s your favourite food – after Sheila’s World Famous Ginger Biscuits?
A good curry with all the extras
Your private plane is sitting on the runway at Shepley Aerodrome. Where would you like to go today – and why?
Petra, Jordan – it’s supposed to be amazing, but it’s apparently difficult to get there before the crowds, so a plane to land me there at dawn would be just the thing!
You’re a very modest individual, shy and retiring (like everyone in Shepley Band) – but what’s been your greatest achievement to date?
Having a fantastic family first up; then singing Britten’s War Requiem at The Royal Albert Hall with Sir David Wilcox conducting second and having the Crown Prince of Norway in a fight a close third...
We seem to be living in a celebrity culture today – so if you could be a celebrity who would you be and why?
A decent actor like Kevin Spacey or Lewis Moody – current captain of England Rugby. The former, because it’s still an ambition to act and second, because he’s going to lift the Rugby World Cup later this year (2011 – if you are reading this in 2012 and England are reigning champions!)
You’ve managed to get the TV remote control all to yourself. If you could have an evening of your favourite telly programmes what would you watch (after you’d finished daily practise of course)?
A couple of rugby games, then some comedy like Black Books, Father Ted or Blackadder
Finally, you found an old oil lamp on your way out of our Christmas Concert. You rubbed it and Jude the Shepley Band Genie appeared and granted you three wishes. What did you wish for?
1.The chance to stop work, and start on the very long list of things to do
2. Lovely new Euph
3 Another lamp
2. Lovely new Euph
3 Another lamp
Who are you and what instrument do you play?
Dominic Higgins - Euphonium
Dominic Higgins -
The Shepley Band Interview
