Alex, encouraged by his primary school, began to play the cornet at the age of 9 and received lessons through Rotherham Schools Music Service. In his young years he was an active member in all music service activities as well as playing in his school band and his local village band, Thorpe Hesley Village Brass Band.

By the time he was 15 he progressed to become principal cornet of Rotherham Schools Youth Band and joined the then Wards Brewery Band (now Strata) as assistant principal cornet. After gaining his A-Levels he was delighted to accept an offer to study at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and studied cornet / trumpet with Roger Webster and John Miller. The RNCM provided many valuable performance experiences playing in various ensembles in a variety of concerts, festivals and recordings. Banding experience came through a short spell at Carlton Main Frickley Colliery and then Stockport based BT Band as Principal cornet, before he reached his life’s ambition to become a second-generation member of the ‘World Famous’ Brighouse & Rastrick Band. He holds the Repiano cornet position with pride and has enjoyed numerous successes both on the contest and concert platform.

Alex gained a PGCE from the University of Huddersfield after graduating from the RNCM and has worked both as a classroom and peripatetic music teacher. He is currently Head of Brass and Woodwind for Barnsley Music Service and is musical director of the Barnsley Metropolitan Junior Band (aged 7-11), Barnsley Metropolitan Band (Senior Brass Band) and the recently formed Barnsley Youth Orchestra. Through his work for the music service and his passion for instrumental music education, Alex has took a keen interest in composing and arranging for junior bands and has produced a number of successful works which have been performed at major events.