Rob Westacott
Musical Director, Tylorstown Band
Rob is one of the most respected cornet players of his generation. An honours graduate from the University of Salford, where he studied Band Musicianship under Professor David King, Dr Roy Newsome and the legendary David James, Rob has gone on to hold the principal cornet chair with the finest brass bands in the country, including Tredegar, Brighouse & Rastrick, Yorkshire Imperial and Grimethorpe Colliery. Rob took the assistant Principal cornet seat at Black Dyke Band aged just 18, and returned to the same seat over 20 years later to help the band win the 2012 European Championships in Rotterdam, his 3rd victory at that competition.
Rob was also instrumental in the reforming of James Shepherd Versatile Brass, holding the lead trumpet seat for a very successful period including the release of two CDs on which he solos on cornet, trumpet and flugelhorn.
Rob held the lead soprano cornet chair for the exciting collaboration ‘Tubular Brass’ which brought brass music to a whole new range of listeners, including in 2017 both the WOMAD and Bluedot festivals. Tubular Brass also performed to a capacity audience at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival.
In 2013, Rob was appointed as Musical Director of the Slaithwaite Band in Huddersfield. Instant success followed winning the Pogson Bray Entertainment Contest just 3 months later. During his 4-year tenure at Slaithwaite, Rob would win that particular contest 3 times and place as runner up once. Victories also followed at Ripon Entertainment Contest, and the Yorkshire Area contest – leading to promotion for Slaithwaite – with other notable placings at Brass Factor, Holme Valley and Rochdale contests.
In 2017 Rob made a brief return to competitive playing as Assistant Principal cornet of the World-Famous Brighouse & Rastrick band – a period which saw Rob win his first “National” at the Albert Hall, as well as two further appearances at the European Championships.
Rob also had the proud honour during this period of being appointed Chairman of Brighouse & Rastrick Band.
Throughout 2018 and into 2019, Rob was the Musical Director of the Lindley Band in Huddersfield. Success again came quickly winning the first section at the YHBBA contest in Dewsbury.
At both Slaithwaite and Lindley band, Rob lead the production of two excellent CD recordings taking charge of all aspects from programming to cover design. Both these CDs feature regularly on the very popular ‘Yorkshire Brass’ radio programme – alongside many other recordings where Rob appears as a performer/soloist.
As an educator, Rob has been a tutor for the National Children’s band of Great Britain and also worked with the Yorkshire Youth Band and on the YHBBA training days as a tutor.
Rob was also invited to be a tutor and conductor on the inspirational ‘Brass at the Manor’ youth band courses held in Powys.
Upon his return to Wales in 2020, Rob took the Soprano cornet chair with the Tredegar Town Band – competing at two European championships as well as many other competitions and festivals. In 2023 at the Regional championships, Rob was awarded the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ prize for the Championship Section.
In April 2023, Rob was appointed as interim Musical Director of the Tylorstown Band, achieving a very credible 4th place at the Senior Trophy competition a few weeks later which saw the band gain promotion to the Senior Cup for 2024. This position was made permanent at the end of May 2023.
Rob is committed to the development of brass banding and its repertoire – without losing sight of the incredible heritage we have as a movement.
Rob holds a BA (hons) in Band Musicianship and a Post Graduate Diploma in performance – both from the University of Salford.