Senior Band - Andrew Duncan

Born in Glasgow in 1962, Andrew started music lessons at school in Whitburn, West Lothian at the age of 11 first learning the trombone, baritone and euphonium before taking up the Eb bass at the age of 16.

He studied music at Napier University in Edinburgh and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. In 1984 he joined the Halle Orchestra in Manchester as Principal Tuba, a post he held for 16 years. During this time he toured worldwide and in 1998 gave the world premiere of John Golland's Tuba Concerto. He was also a member of the Halle Brass Quintet and has played for most of the leading UK orchestras and London Brass together with The Brass Band of Battle Creek in the USA. Andrew renewed his professional playing in 2008 and has since been a freelance tubist working with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Halle Orchestra.

Andrew was Professor of Tuba at Chethams School of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music, the University of Salford and at Huddersfield University. In conjunction with his composing and arranging, playing and conducting, Andrew is also an external examiner and lecturer for the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.

Andrew is very much in demand as a conductor. In addition to winning a number of contests in Scotland, in 2003 he led the Whitburn Band to 2nd place at the British Open in Birmingham. The highest ever placing by a Scottish band at this prestigious contest.

Andrew was the Principal Conductor of the Whitburn Band from 2003 - 2006 after which he took the position of Principal Conductor for the Mount Charles Band in Cornwall. He also works with other bands both locally and internationally on a freelance basis. As Andrew's playing and other work commitments increased both in Europe and Scotland during 2009, it was necessary for him to consolidate his travelling demands and make the difficult decision to withdraw from the Mount Charles Band. In August 2009, Andrew took up the post of Musical Director of Kingdom Brass.