Siobhan Bates (Solo Horn - Black Dyke Band)
Originally from Swadlincote, Derbyshire, Siobhan began playing the horn at an early age in local music centre groups. At age 10, she was granted a scholarship at the Birmingham Junior Conservatoire to study French Horn and Voice. During her studies there, she soon became the Principal Horn in the symphony and wind orchestras, as well as their brass ensembles.
Alongside her French Horn playing, Siobhan began playing Tenor Horn with the Gresley Colliery Band and at age 13 she became the LBBA junior Solo Champion. She gained the Solo Horn position with Gresley at the age of 15, and also joined Youth Brass 2000 under the direction of Chris Jeans. It was at this point that she made the decision to focus primarily on the Tenor Horn.
Her progression continued as she joined Foresters Brass on Solo Horn and in 2015, after competing at the European Brass Band Championships in Freiburg with Youth Brass 2000, she was approached by Garry Cutt, and became the Solo Horn with the Fairey Band.
May 2016 once again saw Siobhan travelling to the European Brass Band Championships in Lille with Youth Brass 2000, where she was awarded the Best Soloist prize, having performed Sandy Smith's arrangement of "Capriccio Brilliante".
Shortly afterwards, Siobhan accepted an invitation from Professor Nicholas Childs to take up the Solo Horn position with the Black Dyke Band, and at the age of 18 was presented with the Best Soloist Award at the Yorkshire area contest, during her first year with the band.
In March 2019, Siobhan entered the BrassPass.TV Young Award (previously Radio 2 Young Brass Award) and at 20 years old, was the inaugural winner of this award under its new ownership.
Siobhan graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a first class Honours Degree in Solo Performance in 2020, has completed her PGCE in Primary Education and is currently a supply teacher, working in Reception and Nursery.