NEWSFEED
Opportunities to Join
We are actively seeking trumpet, trombone and french horn players. Please reach out if you would like to get involved. We rehearse in Thornden Hall on Monday evenings 19:30 - 21:30.
We do not hold auditions for prospective members; we invite you to come along to a rehearsal and play in the band. That way you can see whether you are right for the band and the band is right for you. We are a very friendly and welcoming group who are used to making new players feel relaxed.
As a community band, we welcome players of all ages with a playing standard relative to the band's standard at the time. There is a modest membership subscription and your first term is free.
Meet the Musical Directors
Director of Music
Gary Chong (MMus, BA Music, FRSM)
Gary began his pursuit in music from a young age, learning tuba from the age of 8. He graduated with a BA in Music from Hong Kong Baptist University and MMus at Royal Northern College of Music in 2013 and 2015 respectively, before becoming a professional tuba player in his home city Hong Kong. The teachings of Sean Cheung, Paul Luxenburg, Roland Szentpali, and Robin Haggart, and participation in numerous masterclasses has led Gary into diverse journeys in music.
Working as a professional freelance musician in Hong Kong since 2016, Gary was a freelance player in the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also as a guest principal in the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, and participated in numerous contemporary music festivals including Shanghai Contemporary Music Festival, Hong Kong New Vision Art Festival, Hong Kong Art Festival, Beijing Music Festival, and was proud to become an associate musician of HKNME in 2021. In 2017, he founded Fiesta Brass, a local touring educational brass quintet, together with Premiere Performance Hong Kong, Fiesta Brass has reached 100,000 audience counts with their friendly teams.
Now based in Hampshire, Gary is working for the award-winning Hampshire Music Service and proudly brews his coffee in his free time.
Deputy Director of Music
Gabrielle Horne
Gabrielle is no stranger to the world of wind bands. She currently directs Eastleigh Area Wind Orchestra who also rehearse at Thornden Hall and conducts the County Youth Training Wind Band, both as part of her teaching role within Hampshire Music Service.
In 1987, whilst working in Merseyside, Gabrielle formed a new community band based on the Wirral. Starting with just 6 members, the band went on to grow to 40 plus members and won the community band section of the Boosey and Hawkes National Wind Band Festival twice. Gabrielle also enjoys orchestral conducting, helping to establish Wirral Symphony Orchestra, the largest amateur orchestra on the Wirral Peninsula. She has worked with long standing wind band aficionados, such as Clark Rundell and Tim Reynish at The Royal Northern College of Music.
Gabrielle studied trumpet at Cardiff University and qualified as a teacher in London. She strongly believes in the community aspect of banding, considering the band to be made up of the community and playing for the community. She is delighted to be working with an adult band again.
Our
Story
Thornden Community Wind Band was formed in 2004 and draws many of its members from Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh and the surrounding area. From the start the band has been characterised by the wide variety of its members’ age, experience and background.
Several of the band members were previously members of Thornden School Wind Band; some members have played continuously throughout their lives, others have started playing again relatively recently after breaks of 20 to 30 years (or more), and a few have taken up playing an instrument later in life.
As a result we have a huge range of skill and experience, from professional musicians and music teachers to those playing in a band for the first time. One thing we all share is a love of playing good music in a relaxed, friendly and fun atmosphere.