Soham Comrades Band has appointed a new musical director.

Mark Ager joins the band after a successful period with Haverhill Silver Band, leading them for several years in the Championship Section.

He is one of the most successful conductors in the region, conducting Haverhill Silver Band for 18 years, winning the First Section Area Contest three times, achieving top five placings in the Championship Section and with further successes in the Butlins Mineworkers Contest.

As a player Mark, under the direction of Keith Wilkinson, John Berryman and Bramwell Tovey, competed in all the major British contests with the highly renowned GUS Band.

Mark also has a long-standing love of local drama and musical theatre.

He is appearing in ‘Made in Dagenham’ at Haverhill in June this year.

He has been the musical director of a number of shows produced by Haverhill Operatics Society and Dunmow Players.

This included taking Dunmow Players to the Gilbert and Sullivan Buxton Festival and conducting their professional orchestra.

Although Soham is a second section band currently, their recent performance under Mark’s leadership will see them promoted to the first section for the 2019 national competitions.

Last year the band took part in an acclaimed Viva production of ‘Brassed Off’ held in the Performing Arts Centre at Soham Village College.

Directed by Keith Gallois and Judith Collingswood, the band is hoping to repeat this success at the ADC Theatre at Cambridge in 2019.

Any players are welcome to go and have a look at a Sunday rehearsal – there is no pressure.

For more information about the band and a list of their concerts visit www.sohamcomradesband.org.uk