Life membership presentation to Alistair for over a half-century of service

Congratulations to Alistair McCorkell of Brass Sounds Inverclyde on being presented with his life membership medal from the Scottish Brass Band Association for more than half a century of service to brass banding.

Alistair was born into a Salvation Army family. His father was the Bandmaster at the Greenock East SA corps where Alistair started his musical journey, learning to play the cornet at eight years old. After short spell on tenor horn he moved onto euphonium and, in 1962, he won the top boy award for his euphonium playing at the Salvation Army annual music camps.

For several years he travelled around the UK SA corps as a euphonium soloist, accompanied by his brother Robert on piano.

The first contesting brass band that Alistair joined was the Greenock & District Band in 1971. He then moved to Renfrew Burgh Band where he moved onto solo trombone.

In the following years, he played in a variety of brass bands, including Greenock Silver, Clydebank Burgh, Barrhead Burgh and Newmains & District in addition to the Greenock Citadel, Paisley Citadel and Govan Citadel Salvation Army Bands.

He also helped out with Gryffe Valley Brass Band on several tours to Cornwall.

Currently a member of Brass Sounds Inverclyde, which he founded in 2004 and where he is still playing Eb bass in the band today at the age of 76, Alistair has been playing brass instruments for a total of 68 years, 53 of which have been in service to bands in the Scottish Brass Band Association.