Rory Rolfe

Playing History

I started playing at about the age of 8, and the first band I played for was Spennymoor Youth Band where I was principal cornet after only 2 years. At the same time I also played for Spennymoor Town Band. I now play Soprano for Co-op and love it! Talk about pressure! It's a great position and I get loads of encouragement from Jef and the band.

I moved from Durham to Shropshire and joined Lions Youth Brass where I played for nearly two years before signing for Co-op. My cornet teacher is Mark Wilkinson, principal cornet of Fodens Band, so you can't say better than that!

I am also a member of the NYBBGB and look forward to working my way up the ranks, and hopefully playing one day soon for a band like Fodens!

I recently recorded a solo with Fodens band that was specially written for me to play at the British Open - I was really nervous playing in front of them all, but it was fab! I've even depped for them at a concert up in Preston and the Sandbach Festival! Mum took a photo of me in my Fodens uniform just in case no one believes me!

Personal Biography

I like play football in my free time but my playing career is on hold for now as I've had GCSE's to do! Not sure what I'm going to do after Secondary school, but sure it'll either be engineering or music.

My dad plays for Fodens and I go along and help sell merchandise at concerts. I get to hear a great badn and don't have to pay for a ticket - ace! I also help my mum look after their new Youth Patrons society and website because mum is a bit of a technophobe!

Me and dad love listening to trumpet players like Maynard Ferguson, John Faddis and Sergei Nakariakov, especially when they're screaming way up high - but it just winds my mum up!

Soprano Cornet

Photography by Skilly and Carl Ball