The music we play is around grade 2-3 concert band standard, sometimes higher, arranged for wind ensemble.

Instruments currently represented : flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone and tuba. We welcome all wind instrument players of all ages, especially in the brass section.

Matt Haddock – Musical Director

Matt is currently Musical Director of the Nene Valley Community Concert Band and has been since August 2020 and Conducts both Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and a Symphonic Choir in Northampton and surrounding counties.
 
Matt is Head of Orchestral Studies and Composition And Deputy Head of department at Coventry University(Phd Supervisor and Lecturer). Since 2022 Holds a Professorship in Orchestral Studies and Conducting

Guest Musical Director and Conductor of the Covent Garden Opera House, London, England 

He trained at the University of Chichester, Ba(Hons) Music, MMus and DMus Postgraduate work at the Royal Academy of Music studying under maestros Bernard Haitink, Simon Rattle and Andre Previn.

He has worked on Jesus Christ Superstar, Sweeney Todd, Seussical, Jekyll and Hyde, Carmen and Gilbert & Sullivan shows (Pirates of Penzance-2013, The Gondoliers-2014, Iolanthe-2015) in Chichester, Matt wrote and directed a production in 2016 which toured off West End Theatres and Channel Island performances, this was Comic Operetta based on the styling and satire of Gilbert & Sullivan.

He has many musical direction credits including Avenue Q(2011), Chicago(2012), Fame(2014), Grease(2015),Wicked(2015), Cats(2016,) Dirty Rotten Scoundrels(2017), Phantom of the opera(2017) and Evita(2018).

He was musical supervisor and arranger for productions including We Will Rock You, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Chicago, Camelot, 42nd Street, Pricilla Queen of The Desert, Little Shop of Horrors and War of the Worlds.
 
Holds ABRSM FRSM In Piano, Voice & Clarinet.

Holder of the Sir George Solti award for Conducting and services to Education in Music and the Sir Adrian Bolt Award in Excellence in Music in Higher Education both awarded in November 2022
 
Has been a musician from the age of 4 and has been a conductor since the age of 12 studying under the direction of Michael Rose. For the past four years Matt has been a private tutor for St Giles Music teaching piano, woodwind, voice & composition.

Prof. Matthew A Haddock BA(Hons) , MMus & DMus, LRSM & FRFSM, Musical Director NVCB

Andy Dickson – Alto Sax and Chairperson

Currently the Chairperson of NVCB

I took up the saxophone  in 2017 at the same time as my daughter took up playing flute.

We joined NVCB shortly after and in 2019 I was very honoured to become the Chairperson for the band and remain in that same post today. 

I feel very privileged to be a part of  such a friendly, supportive and fun group of people.

Jo Wilde – Horn

I started to learn French Horn six years ago, never having learned an instrument before. As such a beginner, I was anxious about playing in our Band, but everyone here is so encouraging. I am lucky to have really skilled and experienced players all around me who are helpful to everyone.

Outside of Band, I am a Cruse Bereavement Volunteer and Church worker and my interests are history, reading, cooking, embroidery and gardening.

Frances Dickson – Flute

I took up the flute in 2017 at the same time as my dad took up playing the saxophone. We joined the NVCB shortly after in 2019.

I love being a part of the NVCB and I’m proud to play alongside the other musicians, it makes my Monday nights so enjoyable. I’m on the NVCB committee which is great, I’m responsible for the Facebook page, alongside Sarah, our tuba player.

I enjoy welcoming new people to the band and helping them to settle in. I play 2nd flute in the band and I’m currently working towards my grade 5 exam.

Donna Rowan Gold – Oboe

I started playing the oboe by accident really.
It all started back in 2018, and was the result of me not wanting to miss out…
That year, International Double Reed Society conference was held in Granada, Spain. During the
conference, they were planning on staging a Guinness World Record attempt to break the world
record by creating the largest ever double reed ensemble in the world.
My son (a bassoonist) was playing in it, and I was his chaperone on the trip. As I filled in the forms
book his place, I started to wonder what it might be like to actually play in it myself – and the idea
took hold. But to join in, I needed to learn to play a double reed instrument…
I chose the oboe, mainly because no-one else in my family played one. And I was hooked.
That night in Spain, the magical atmosphere under the floodlights, playing with 500 other double
reed musicians from around the world, remains my most memorable playing experience so far.
I joined NVCB to play the oboe with other musicians. The band is really supportive and a great place
to grow in confidence as a musician. Plus, I have made some lovely friendships along the way.