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With the recent passing
of our President, W E A “Micky” Hunt at the age of seventy nine, the
Association and the Cornish Brass Band movement has lost one of its most
devoted servants. His contribution as a player, conductor, teacher and
administrator was in the very best traditions of our amateur movement.
Born in Bodmin in 1928 he joined St Breward Silver Band to learn the
Cornet after the family moved to the village in 1937. Thus began a
connection to the Band that lasted sixty two years as Player, Secretary
and Musical Director before circumstances meant that he moved on to St
Minver Silver Band, where he continued, until quite recently, his first
love of teaching young people the joys and satisfaction of playing a
brass instrument. His work in this field was recognised when in 1999 he
was awarded a Diploma of Honour by the Worshipful Company of Musicians
and in 2001 when he was invested as a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedd, with
the Bardic name, Den Menestrouthy Brest, Man of Brass Band Music.
The majority of Brass
Band Musicians tend to concentrate on their playing and are happy to
leave the administration of the movement to others. Not so Micky, who
first became involved in the Cornwall Brass Band Association when he
attended our second meeting in 1955. Actively involved from then on he
became Vice Chairman, followed by sixteen years as Chairman until 2003,
before assuming the office of President in 2005. He was generous in
giving his time to attending many of our member Band’s Concerts and
events and representing the Association at numerous official functions
throughout the County. It was always a particular pleasure for him to
present our valued Fifty Year Service Certificates and Badges, a Badge
he himself wore with pride.
He was also President of
the Cornwall Youth Brass Band, with whom he had been associated as a
Tutor and Committee member since 1959, when the CBBA took over the
management of the Band for many years. He spent countless hours
representing the Association at meetings of the Council of West of
England Brass Band Associations and the South West Brass Band
Association.
With his passing we
lose the last contact with our Founders and the benefit of his
immeasurable knowledge and experience of the Association throughout its
entire history. He gave a lifetime of service to this Association and
the wider brass band movement and was, as his Bardic name tells us,
truly a Man of Brass Band Music. |