Dan Thomas

Solo Euphonium

Born in Abergavenny and raised in Rhymney in the valleys of South Wales, Daniel effectively started his musical association with brass bands when he signed up for peripatetic brass lessons in Blaenau Gwent at Abertillery Comprehensive. His first band was the now reformed Ebbw Vale Town Band, a local fourth-section band that regularly came recruiting into local schools. In 2009, Dan successfully auditioned for the National Youth Brass Band of Wales and worked with such distinguished musicians as Stephen Cobb, Nicholas Childs, and Edward Gregson.

In 2010, he won the local Caerphilly Young Musician of The Year competition, beating 140 musicians from schools throughout South Wales. 2010 was also the year that Daniel joined the Cory Band, spending a fulfilling year in the band before sadly leaving due to academic commitments. He transferred to play for local rivals Tredegar, and is very proud to have participated in the band’s British Open win of 2013, achieving the Best Euphonium prize on this memorable day.

Following another spell with the Cory Band, he moved to Manchester to study at the Royal Northern College of Music. He joined the Black Dyke Band, taking over from Ian Yates as the band’s second euphonium. He became Black Dyke’s Solo Euphonium in December 2016, occupying the seat previously held by many of his playing idols. In 2017, Daniel won the Best Instrumentalist prize at the Yorkshire Regional Championships, and in 2019, he was awarded the Geoff Whitham award as the outstanding euphonium player at the British Open Championships.

In 2020, Daniel graduated from the RNCM with a Distinction in his Master’s degree.

2023 saw Daniel leave Black Dyke to pursue a different career and a relocation saw him re-join the Cory Band for a short spell. Dan joined the Flowers Band in January of 2024. In 2024 Dan was awarded the ‘Most Outstanding Player’ award at the National Finals, an achievement he is very proud of.

 

Originally from Taiwan, Nina started playing the euphonium at the age of 8 in her home city of Taichung. In 2022, she completed her bachelor’s degree studying Music at Taipei National University of the Arts, under Tzu-Hsiang Lin. After relocating to the UK to study for a Masters of Music in Instrumental Performance at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC), under Chris Robertson; she has been bestowed several prestigious accolades including becoming a 2022 Boise Scholar and the winner of RBC Brass Prize 2023.

Having previously played with Golden Hymn Brass band in Taiwan, Nina started her British brass band journey as the principal euphonium of the Amersham Band. After joining the Flowers Band in June 2023, she made her contesting debut with the band at the 2023 British Open.

NINA lIN

Second Euphonium

 

Matt Rowe

Solo Baritone

Matt, originally from Cornwall, started learning to play Cornet aged 9 in the Camborne Junior band under Alan Pope before moving to the Lanner youth band. Matt progressed into the Lanner and District Silver Band in 2007 on 2nd Baritone, moving onto solo Euphonium in 2010 aged 15. Whilst playing for Lanner, Matt was also a member of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band, winning player of the year in 2010 and 2013, as well as players player in 2013. In 2013, Matt moved to Cardiff to study at RWCMD under David Childs and joined Tongwynlais Temperance on 1st Baritone before moving on to Solo Euphonium in 2014. Whilst at RWCMD, Matt was fortunate enough to win the Phillip Jones Brass Ensemble prize with Indigo Brass, as well as winning the McGrenery Ensemble prize with both Indigo Brass and Eu4ia.

Matt graduated in 2017 with 1st class honours, and went on to work a brass specialist with Trevada Music. Along with playing, Matt also enjoys conducting, with recent successes including leading Brunel Brass to 4th Place at Wychavon Festival of Brass. Matt is hugely proud to be a member of Flowers, returning back to his childhood area of the West of England.

After 5 years in the Solo Euphonium chair, Matt made the move to Solo Baritone and is very much enjoying this new challenge. Further to this Matt took on the responsibility of Band Manager, looking after things at an individual level.

 

Tim comes from a Salvation Army family where everyone was encouraged to play brass instruments. Realising very early on he could not get a note from a cornet Tim moved to tenor horn in a small young people’s band that included Dudley Bright, David Daws, Julian Bright and Matt Baker. At age 21 Tim was appointed as principal horn in the International Staff Band of the Salvation Army, a position he held for over 15 years. During this time he gave premieres of a number of brass band arrangements of classical pieces by Weber, Strauss and Schumann originally written for the French horn. Also at this time he had the role of Bandmaster of the Staines Band of the Salvation Army, a position held for over 25 years during which three CD recordings were made.

In more recent years Tim has moved to the dark side of the Baritone and Euphonium section, and been a member of Egon Virtuosi Brass, Staines Town Band, Wantage and Woodfalls bands. He is now a committed member of the Baritone fraternity and looking forward hugely to the challenge and excitement of being a part of the Flowers band.

Apart from brass bands Tim’s other obsessions are coffee, chocolate and two dogs – Dave the miniature long haired Dachsund and Murphy the dopey Lurcher.

Tim Parker

Second Baritone