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ABOUT

Andy Wareham

Andy Wareham (b.1994) is a conductor, composer, brass tutor and musicologist based in Southampton, UK.

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Andy's Biography

Andy Wareham (B. 1994) is a composer, conductor, brass tutor and musicologist hailing from Southampton, England.

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His musical journey began at the age of six under the tuition of Lesley Milam and ever since then he has aspired to become an accomplished music professional. He has become a keen musicologist, conductor and composer within the British brass band movement.

Andy has a background as an experienced jazz trumpet player and brass band cornetist and has performed in a number of high profile locations. These include the Montreux Jazz Festival, The Concorde Club Southampton, Principality Stadium, Wales Millennium Centre, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Barbican Centre, Branwyn Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. He has received a number of awards for his performance, including a special honour from Wynton Marsalis following a performance at the Barbican Centre in London during the ‘Essentially Ellington’ competition, hosted by Jazz at Lincoln Center.

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As a published composer with a range of publishing houses, Andy has won a number of awards for his music. These include the Vivendi Composition Award, The Cory Band Composition Competition 2017, A4 Brass Quartet’s Composition Competition 2019, The British Trombone Society Composers’ Competition 2020, the British Bandsman March Contest 2023 and the St. David’s Hall 40th Birthday Fanfare Competition. Andy also achieved the second prize in the EBBA European Composers Competition 2022 with his large scale work “Machiavelli: Ruminations on ‘The Prince’” receiving a world premiere by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band. His music has been featured on BBC television and radio as well as at major festivals and brass band contests, including the The Welsh Proms, Brass in Concert Championships and the RNCM Festival of Brass.

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From 2018 - 2021, Andy proudly held the position of ‘Young Composer in Residence’ with the world famous Black Dyke Band and worked under the guidance and mentorship of Black Dyke’s acclaimed Composer in Association, Professor Philip Wilby. He also currently holds a position as Composer in Association with the Manchester based ‘Northern Quarters Brass Quartet’, made up of principal musicians from some of the UK’s leading brass bands (Brighouse & Rastrick, Black Dyke and the WFEL Fairey Band).

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As a conductor, Andy is in demand. He currently holds the position of Musical Director with Ocean Brass Band and has previously held positions with a range of choirs, wind bands, big bands and orchestras in the UK. His conducting has also seen him travel internationally to work with ensembles in Europe.

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After graduating from Cardiff University as a Bachelor of Music (Hons) in 2016, Andy went on to study as a Master of Music (Hons) at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He was accepted as the first student in the history of the conservatoire to study as a Brass Band Conducting specialist and studied under the guidance of renowned conductor, adjudicator and Euphonium virtuoso, Dr Robert Childs where he achieved a first class honours in conducting performance and completed a 10,000 word dissertation on the history of the brass band musical director. Following two years of co-conducting the RWCMD Brass Band, he graduated in July 2018 and directed the band one final time at his own graduation ceremony.

2012-2016

Young Composer in Residence
Black Dyke Band

Composer in Residence with the World Famous Black Dyke Band. Mentored by the ensembles's Composer in  Association Professor Philip Wilby and Musical Director Professor NIcholas Childs.

Education & Notable Positions

Bachelor of Music (hons)
Cardiff University

2016-2018

Master of Music (hons)
Brass Band Conducting

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Undergraduate music degree with a specialisms in performance, composition, music theory and musicology.

Postgraduate music degree with a specialism in Brass Band Conducting and the History of the Brass Band Movement. Studied under the tutelage of Dr Robert Childs.

2018-2022

Awards & Achievements

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VIVENDI COMPOSITION AWARD

Music for Youth 2012
"Mr Hart"
Big Band

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BEST STUDENT COMPOSITION

University Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2016
"The Deep"
Brass Band

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FIRST PRIZE
A4 Brass Quartet Composition Competition

"The Code"
Brass Quartet

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FIRST PRIZE
British Bandsman March Competition 2023 

"The Volunteer"
Brass Band

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SOLOIST HONOUR

Jazz at Lincoln Center UK 2012
Presented by Wynton Marsalis

Trumpet Performance

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FIRST PRIZE

RWCMD Cory band Composition Competition 2017
"Tarot! Tortuous Tarot!"
Brass Band

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FIRST PRIZE
British Trombone Society Composers' Competition
"Fanfare & Three Poems"
Trombone Quartet & Drum Kit

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FINALIST
BrookWright International Brass Band Composer Competition 2020

"Nocturne for Brass Band & Percussion: The Lady with the Lamp"
Brass Band

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FINALIST

Arcomis: Sir Norman Lloyd Edwards Award For Young Composers 2014
"Ffanfer i Fae Caerdydd"
(Fanfare for Cardiff Bay)

Brass Quintet

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NOMINEE

4BarsRest Newcomer of the Year

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FINALIST

European Brass Band Association Composition Competition 2022
"Machiavelli: Ruminations on 'The Prince' "
Brass Band

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FIRST PRIZE
Saint David’s Hall 40th Birthday Fanfare Competition
"Ffanffer ar gyfer Neuadd Dewi Sant"
(Fanfare for Saint David's Hall)

Brass Quinet

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