I forgot my instrument for school orchestra, so they gave me a euphonium out of the cupboard and that was it – I’d found my instrument!
Usually it’s the musician that picks the instrument, but in those special cases where it’s the other way round, something magical can happen. When Sam Wyne first discovered music all he wanted to do was play the piano but his path took an unexpected turn when a brass group visited his primary school. He recalls being “so in awe of these musicians” that when they offered him the opportunity to learn the tenor horn, he jumped at the chance. He loved playing in ensembles but never felt quite at home on the instrument. One fateful day Sam recalls being “devastated” because he forgot his tenor horn for school orchestra. His teacher handed him a school euphonium as a substitute and at that moment the stars aligned. “That was it” Sam says, “I’d found my instrument.” As the euphonium felt so much more natural he decided “to put the tenor horn to bed” and never looked back.
Sam studied at Birmingham Conservatoire and today works as Business Development and Engagement Manager for Berkshire Maestros. A keen member of the brass-banding movement, Sam plays with Wantage Band and has also directed a number of youth brass bands.
Part of our 20th anniversary project: My Musical Journey
