Training Band Musical Director

Max Stannard

Max is a trombone player, conductor, composer and arranger. He played in his first brass band at secondary school and has never looked back. Max studied music at Lancaster University, specialising in conducting. Max conducted Lancaster Community Music Centre's Orchestra, in addition the Lancaster University Brass Band and Wind Band, winning Gold Award at the National Concert Band Festival. Upon graduating from university, Max became a music teacher and is currently Head of Music at the Co-operative Academy of Manchester.

Max began composing and arranging music for brass bands whilst at university and his works have gone on the be published in the UK and Europe; in 2018 Max won the competition to write the Brass Fest UK Anthem, Into the Future. In 2012 Max founded the UniBrass competition at Lancaster University and has compered the event ever since. When the UniBrass Foundation was created in 2015, he became a trustee. In the same year he joined Brass Bands England as a trustee.

Max was appointed musical director of Friezland Band in 2016 and Blackpool Brass in 2019. Max currently conducts Friezland Band and the CC Concert Band and was appointed Musical Director of Besses Boys' Training Band in October 2023.