John Ward

John is an Executive Member of the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators.

As a conductor, he has directed recordings with Fairey (see ‘Website’ link below), Leyland, Co-operative Funeralcare (Scotland), Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, Leyland and Reg Vardy bands. John is the conductor of Fulham Brass and helped the band gain promotion into the Championship Section for the first time in its 124-year history. He has enjoyed successful guest conducting at contests with Thundersley Brass, Ratby, Foresters and Mount Charles bands, and has directed concerto performances with renowned soloists, James Fountain, Davur Magnussen, Simone Rebello and Owen Farr. John has conducted Grimethorpe Colliery, Brighouse and Rastrick and Cory Bands in rehearsal and was shortlisted to audition for the Assistant Music Director (to Bramwell Tovey) of The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.

Ray Farr: “without doubt, the most talented conducting student I’ve ever had”

Allan Withington: “He is talented, ambitious and possesses the ability to solve problems quickly and communicate these solutions to a large group of people”

Robert Redhead: “I couldn’t have asked for better interpretations of the various styles of music expressed”.

As a playing member of Rothwell Temperance and Desford Colliery bands he won two All England Masters titles and toured South East Asia twice.

In 2021 he was the recipient of Brass Bands England Innovation Award.