Dave Barker

Principal Cornet

Joined 2008

Dave started playing at the age of 13 with the Para Hills Brass Band in Adelaide’s north. During his early years he studied under former Black Dyke Mills Band’s former Principal Cornet player, Bernard Bygrave and the former Principal Trumpet of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Glenn Maddern.

When the Elizabeth City Band was formed in 1977 with Bernard Bygrave being appointed its inaugural Musical Director, Dave joined the newly created band and spent nine years as its Principal Cornet. From 1980 to 1990 Dave won the South Australian Cornet championship no fewer than 9 times and was judged South Australian Champion of Champions on four occasions.

In 1986, Dave left Adelaide and moved to Melbourne where he spent three years at the Hawthorn City Band playing No. 2 solo cornet. At that time the Hawthorn Band were led by Ken MacDonald and the end chair was occupied by former Grimethorpe Colliery Band top man, Tom Paulin. Dave fondly recalls that “I had Ken out the front, Tom on one side of me, and the legendary Arthur Withers on the other – it was like getting three extra cornet lessons, twice a week.”

Family reasons forced Dave to return to Adelaide in 1989 where he resumed his old spot with the Elizabeth City Band. When the band folded in 1993, Dave went to the Kensington and Norwood Band where he played assistant Principal Cornet for four years.

Study at the University of Adelaide unfortunately forced Dave to put the cornet away for three years but, returning to Victoria in 2000, he was asked back to play solo cornet with the Hawthorn Band. He stayed for seven years, six of them playing top chair under the direction of Tom Paulin. The highlight of this period was playing top chair at the 2004 Australian National Band Championship which saw Hawthorn take out first prize.

Dave spent a three month “sabbatical” in the UK in 2003 where he played solo cornet with the Leyland Band in England’s North-West and, during this all too short a time, Dave performed with Leyland at the British Open, The National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall, and the Brass in Concert competition in Spennymoor.

Following a short stint at the Darebin (Preston) Band in 2007, Dave, together with his wife Marianna (also a member of Kew on Tenor Horn), joined Kew Band Melbourne in April 2008 and in May Dave, along with four other members of the Kew Band, was selected to play for the National Australia Band under the direction of Professor David King. “As far as honours go” Dave says, “it doesn’t get much better than being asked to represent your country”.