OXTED BAND Are looking forward to welcoming Jim Davies as their guest soloist for their autumn concert Jim was born in a small village called Ynyshir in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales in 1952. He joined the local band at the age of 9, hoping to play trombone but was given a cornet with only 2 valves working. Within a year he had already won his first competition playing I hear you calling me and over the next few years many successes came his way, including the title of Champion of Wales at the age of 15. He was also asked to play for Sir Arthur Davidson in Cardiff and greatly impressed the orchestral conductor with a flawless performance of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto, without music! The great conductor's advice was to change from cornet to trumpet and concentrate on an orchestral career after music college. Jim, instead, decided to join the Inland Revenue and remain within the brass band world. Jim was first promoted to the principal's chair at the age of fifteen playing with his local band in the Championship section. At seventeen he moved to the Mid-Rhondda Band as principal and in 1972, at the age of 20, he was appointed principal cornet of the Cory Band. Over the next 16 years contest successes included National Championships (1974, 1982, 1983 and 1984), European Championships (1980), Mineworkers' Championships (1972, 1973 and 1974) and numerous solo prizes won by Jim including Yeovil, Telford and Granada TV Band of the Year - Best Soloist in 1980 (playing Sonia) and 1982 (playing Shores of the Mighty Pacific) .He has been in great demand as a soloist, playing in most of the major concert halls in this country and undertaking tours of Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Norway, North America and Russia. He has made numerous television and radio broadcasts and has also had a successful conducting career with bands in the UK and overseas. In 1988 Jim left the Inland Revenue and was appointed principal cornet of the famous Brighouse & Rastrick Band. In the same year he became a peripatetic brass and woodwind tutor and completed his Master's Degree at Leeds University in July 1997.