Irene Jones, who has been a part of the Kingsbridge Silver Band for 57 years, has stepped down from the role of Musical Director, and members of the band want to thank her for all of her hard work over the years. Irene says being in the band has been a “very big part of (her) life”, and it “has been an honour” playing with, what she describes, as her “second family”.

Irene joined the band in 1964, at just 9 years old, under bandmaster Frank Perrett. She started by playing tenor horn and later undertook the role of solo horn until the age of 28, when she fell pregnant. Instead of taking a break from the band, Irene taught herself to play the trombone, which she found was, “an easier instrument to play when heavily pregnant”. By the time her second son was born three years later, she had assumed the role of solo trombone.

Irene has played countless events in and around the Kingsbridge area over the years, and has even played in Germany and France for the town’s “twinning exchanges”.

She says that one of her “highlight(s)” of the years spent performing was “being asked to play trombone with a Merchant Seaman’s Band aboard ship on the river Thames In London in the presence of Princess Anne.”

During her time with the band, she has taught both young people and adults to read music and learn to play brass instruments so that they could join the band, as she did when she was young. She says, “It gave me great pleasure to see the pupils progress and move up the ranks of the band to become established playing members.”

Irene took over the role of Musical Director, which she has held for 20 years, in May 2002 during the Dartmouth Music Festival, when the previous Musical Director Peter Johnson left the band. She said of the responsibility that comes with the role: “I looked at it as another musical challenge.”

Irene took over from Mr Johnson halfway through a concert in the bandstand. For the first half of the concert she played trombone, before “conducting the band in the second half” as the baton was passed over. She said, “it was such a thrill to stand in front of so many talented musicians and from there I never looked back.”

Irene is now leaving the band behind as she retires to Wales, and has passed the position onto Neil Taylor, who previously played lead cornet. She wishes the band “all the very best for the future” and encourages anyone who lives locally that can play a brass instrument, or would like to learn one, to get involved. She says that all ages are welcome and describes the band as “a very friendly bunch”, adding that the number of members are fairly low at the moment, so anyone who is interested should “go and have fun”.

If you would like to get involved, contact Neil Taylor at 01548 714024.