Deserved national recognition for John Boax’s work with Scottish youth

Huge congratulations to SBBA education officer John Boax on being the deserved winner of this year’s Mortimer Medal for his exceptional work with young people in Scotland for more than 40 years.

John is a cornet/flugel player who is an original member of Kilmarnock Concert Brass. A peripatetic brass instructor, he founded the Carrick Youth Brass Band which he led to two Scottish Championships wins and a European Youth Championships success.

In 1985 he began his association with the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland (NYBBS) working alongside many leading conductors as a tutor, administrator and conductor to inspire countless young brass and percussion players to pursue music as a leisure activity and even as a career.

John is employed as a peripatetic music instructor with North Ayrshire Council, a role in which he actively promotes youth brass in Scotland, and is musical director of Irvine & Dreghorn Brass’s youth pathway programme.

Each year The Worshipful Company of Musicians awards its Mortimer Medal to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the UK brass band tradition by teaching young people to play brass band instruments and by fostering their participation in youth brass bands.

The Mortimer Medal was established in 1995 and named after the renowned musical director Harry Mortimer who was a Liveryman of the Company.

“This award was a huge surprise and one that reminds me of all of those young people that I have been so blessed to work with as they started out on their musical journey,” he said.

“Every day I feel a great sense of pride as I see and hear what many of those young brass players have achieved.”