Greg took over as conductor for Heswall Concert Band in January 2023. After working with the band for two joint concerts in which the band accompanied Heswall Musical Society playing musical arrangements Greg had done for the band. Greg also used to play tuba in the band. Greg has over 40 years’ experience as musical director for numerous musical and operatic societies in Wirral and North Wales. Greg studied music at Cardiff University studying composition with Alun Hoddinott. He was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales for 3 years. After teaching in Lincoln and conducting the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra he moved to the Wirral as Lecturer of Experimental Electronic Music at Wirral Arts School. He was conductor of Birkenhead Youth Orchestra and Musical Director for Wirral Youth Theatre and several Operatic Societies on the Wirral, this involved conducting several World Premieres including the first amateur performance of Jesus Christ Superstar and the recent ‘Bugle Boy’ with Port Sunlight. He retired from his post of Head of Music and Performing Arts at Wirral Metropolitan College 16 years ago, but still continues with his conducting of Operatic Societies on the Wirral and in North Wales. He was Musical Director of Llangollen Operatic Society for 7 years until moving away from the area in 2000. He was on the Llangollen Eisteddfod Town Event committee, under John Gambles. Greg runs a 16-piece Big Band, which performs on the Wirral, in Cheshire and North Wales and continues with his compositions and arrangements, including for Heswall Concert Band. He wrote a large-scale musical biography of Owain Glyndwr for the Corwen festival and performed it with his Big band, the Corwen Male voice choir and the Corwen Ladies choir in the Corwen Pavilion. He conducted the Wrexham Symphony Orchestra in a performance of his father’s Welsh Folk Song Suite for their 40th anniversary Concert.
Country representing: England
Where and how often do you rehearse? Heswall Hall, Heswall Wirral every Sunday between January and December, apart from when Sunday rehearsal clashes with a concert.
Do you have any interesting stories about your group? We have recently taken on project to perform Pictures at an exhibition by Mussorgsky at Lady Lever Art Gallery , where members of the band have composed their own compositions associated with pictures in the gallery .
How would you best describe your group? HCB is a community based concert band for musicians of all ages and abilities, striving to create an environment of enjoyment and belonging through a common interest in music.
Website: www.heswallconcertband.co.uk
X (formerly known as Twitter) Handle: @HeswallCband
Facebook Handle: Heswall Concert Band
Instagram Handle: heswallconcertband
