Jonathan Bates on A4 Brass Quartet‘s new album, his banding journey and the bass drum incident | episode 31

Jonathan Bates, principal horn of Foden’s Band and a member of the A4 Brass Quartet, discusses the quartet’s second studio album, Mosaic, which is out now, and looks back on the ensemble’s humble beginnings which came when the players were all first year students at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Jonny also discusses his own musical journey, from growing up in a banding family to hitting the slow melody circuit and catching the banding bug. He reflects on his successes to date and lifts the lid on a busy schedule, crammed with playing, conducting and composing. But first, Jonny describes what it feels like to be gradually getting back to in-person music making.