New signing at Friary

Latest signing at Friary is Jacob Griffiths on cornet.  Jacob began his music education with community banding in Cornwall.  After five years of playing cornet for St Austell Town Band, he changed his principal study to the trumpet.  In his first year of trumpet playing, Jacob was awarded a music scholarship from Wells Cathedral School. He remained at there for four years and, in 2018, was awarded the Nathan Hewitt Trumpet Prize from the school. 

Between 2018-2021, Jacob read Music at the University of Manchester for which he was awarded a first-class honours degree.  During his time there, he was one of the winners of the Manchester University Music Society Concerto Competition (2020) and earned the Proctor-Gregg Prize for Performance for his final recital.  He also continued banding whilst in Manchester, playing flugel for Ashton-under-Lyne for the North West Area contest in February 2020.

Jacob commented:  "I've neglected banding for too long!  Having grown up in Cornwall playing with St. Austell Band, getting back into contesting feels like a return to my roots.  I'm really excited to be joining Friary and can't wait to contribute to this outstanding band at such an exciting point in its history!"  Friary Chair Andy Singleton added: “Jacob will strengthen our back row cornets:  we’re delighted to welcome him to the Friary family.”