St Dennis Silver Band with Darren Hawken, Musical Director

Darren Hawken

Darren Hawken is a conductor, teacher, trombonist, vocalist, pianist, organist and accompanist.

Darren was born at St Austell, Cornwall, in 1983. Although neither of Darren’s parents are musical, his maternal Grandmother and her parents indeed were. Darren’s Great Grandfather, Frank Arthur, was a playing member of St Dennis Band for 43 years up until the late 1970s gaining no less than five Prince of Wales medals at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival for achieving five Royal Trophy ‘hat –tricks’ with the same band.

Darren began piano lessons at the age of five, but soon decided that he wanted an additional challenge of playing brass, as a trombone player in the Mount Charles Youth band of which he was a member for seven years.

He then joined Bodmin Town Band and enjoyed their success as the band won the West of England Regional Championships, the West of England Bandsman’s Festival (Bugle), Yeovil Entertainment Contest, and competed in the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain and the British Open qualifying contest, the Grand Shield. At Bodmin he played under some fine conductors including Dr Nicholas Childs, Dr Roy Newsome, Major Peter Parkes and Russell Gray. Darren was also a member of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band where he was principal trombone for five years during which he was awarded four awards including the Albert Chappell award for ‘Best Player’ on two occasions.

In 2003, Darren left Cornwall to embark on a BMus (hons) degree at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) under the tutorship of Dr Robert Childs, Christopher Mowat and Kevin Price. He has performed with the Symphony Orchestra, Brass Band and Brass Ensemble. During his studies, Darren was awarded second place in the annual Linda Mowat Brass Competition on two occasions. After successfully completing his undergraduate degree, Darren furthered his music studies at the college undertaking a postgraduate degree whilst later being appointed ‘Head of Outreach’. In addition, he was lecturer, academic teacher and conductor in residence of all ensembles of the Junior Music and Access Studies department of the Conservatoire. During his time in Wales, Darren joined the BBC National Chorus of Wales, accepted a trombone placement with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and was invited to undertake a sole conducting placement with the world renowned Welsh National Opera. It is during his time at the college that ‘Absolute Brass’ was formed, a brass quintet that regularly performed throughout the UK.

In 2007 Darren became a part-time member of Staff in the Junior Music and Access Studies department at the RWCMD where he was a lecturer, academic teacher and conductor in residence of various ensembles including the symphony orchestra. It was after this successful appointment that he was offered the full-time position of ‘Outreach Co-ordinator’ in the senior college of the RWCMD, overseeing and implementing Outreach provision across all areas of the college.

His brass band contest conducting debut was in 2005 when he led St Breward Band to success at the South West Brass Band Association Annual Championships. Further invitations followed including conducting St Pinnock at the National Brass Band Championships in 2006. Following this, Darren continued freelance conducting with various championships section brass bands, orchestras and choirs across the West of England and Wales.

In 2009, Darren was invited to conduct St Dennis Band at the 2009 West of England Bandsman’s Festival (WEBF) at Bugle where they were placed second for Partita by Philip Sparke and the march, Honest Toil by William Rimmer.
Further success on the contest stage followed with the Mount Charles Band as he led them to victory at both the Miller Countrywide Entertainment Contest at the Hall for Cornwall and the Grenland International Brass Festival (Norway) in 2010.

In 2010 Darren was appointed musical director at St Dennis Silver Band and in the Championship Section of Pontins Championships he led them to 2nd place playing Les Preludes.

Since his appointment as the Professional Conductor of the St Dennis Silver Band, there have been many notable achievements that include; three Royal Trophy wins (2012, 2016 and 2018) at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival alongside no less than five second places, third place at the Yeovil Entertainment Contest (2014), second place at the Pontins Brass Band Championships (2010), promotion from the Senior Trophy into the Senior Cup at the British Open Spring Festival (2014) and subsequent promotion to the Grand Shield and winners of the first section West of England Regional Championships (2016). A coveted National Brass Band Championships title came in September 2016 when St Dennis were crowned first section national champions.

Alongside his conducting duties with the St Dennis Silver Band, Darren was Assistant Director of Music and Head of Year at Plymouth College, Senior Tutor with the Cornwall Youth Brass Band and adjudicated at many brass competitions. In 2018 he received the great honour of being made a bard of Gorsedh Kernow.

In 2008, Darren was invited by the Lord Chamberlain’s office to attend a Royal Garden Party hosted by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his outstanding talent, dedication and commitment to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

 

 

 

Darren Hawken Contest Results

 

Best of Brass Entertainment Contest

2010: Mount Charles placed 1^st

 

 

British Open Spring Festival

2011: St Dennis Silver placed 11^th in the Senior Trophy playing Benvenuto Cellini.

2012: St Dennis Silver placed 6^th in the Spring Festival / Senior Trophy under Darren Hawken playing Chivalry.

2013: St Dennis Silver placed 8^th in the Senior Trophy playing Journey into Freedom.

2014: St Dennis Silver placed 4^th in the Senior Trophy playing Les Franc Juges.

2015: St Dennis Silver placed 15^th in the Senior Cup playing Festival Music.

2016: St Dennis Silver placed 8^th in the Senior Cup playing Music for Battle Creek.

2017: St Dennis Silver placed 5^th in the Senior Cup playing Fragile Oasis by Dr Peter Meecham.

2018: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd in the Senior Cup playing Diadem of Gold by George Bailey/Frank Wright.

2019: St Dennis Silver placed 13^th in the Grand Shield playing Fraternity by Thierry Deleruye

2022: St Dennis Silver placed 19^th in the Grand Shield playing Dynasty by Peter Graham.

 

 

Ebbw Vale Contest

2009: Upper Rhondda Brass placed 8^th in the Third Section playing A Celtic Suite by Philip Sparke.

 

 

Cornwall Brass Band Association

2012: St Dennis Silver placed 1^st in the Open Section playing Chivalry.

 

 

Grenland International Brass Festival

2010: Mount Charles placed 1^st in the Elite Section playing Band on a Holy Crusade.

 

 

Kapitol Cory Online Brass Band Championships

2021: St Dennis Silver placed 10^th in the Championship Section.

 

 

West of England Regional Championships

2011: St Dennis Silver placed 6^th in the Championship Section playing Paganini Variations.

2012: St Dennis Silver placed 5^th in the Championship Section playing The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

2013: St Dennis Silver placed 8^th in the Championship Section playing Harmony Music.

2014: St Dennis Silver placed 7^th in the Championship Section playing St Magnus.

2015: St Dennis Silver placed 11^th in the Championship Section playing The Torchbearer by Peter Graham.

2016: St Dennis Silver placed 1^st in the First Section playing Essay.

2017: St Dennis Silver placed 6^th in the Championship Section playing Pageantry.

2018: St Dennis Silver placed 4^th in the Championship Section playing Odyssey by Kevin Norbury.

2019: St Dennis Silver placed 6^th in the Championship Section playing Seascapes by Ray Steadman-Allen.

2020: St Dennis Silver placed 6^th in the Championship Section playing A Tale as Yet Untold by Philip Sparke.

2022: St Dennis Silver placed 5^th in the Championship Section playing Contest Music by Wilfred Heaton.

2023: St Dennis Silver placed 4^th in the Championship Section playing Red Priest by Philip Wilby.

 

 

National Championships of Great Britain

2006: St Pinnock Silver placed 13^th in the Third Section playing Sinfonietta for Brass Band by Gordon Langford.

2016: St Dennis Silver placed 1^st in the First Section playing Ballet for Band.

 

 

Pontins National Championship

2010: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd in the Championship Section playing Les Preludes.

 

 

SWBBA

2005: St Breward Silver place 1^st in the Fourth Section playing Mexican Fiesta.

2011: St Dennis Silver placed 4^th in the Open Section playing Tallis Variations by Philip Sparke.

2013: St Dennis Silver placed 5^th in the Open Section playing English Heritage by George Lloyd

2015: St Dennis Silver placed 3^th in the Open Section playing Elgar Variations by Martin Ellerby

 

 

West of England Band Festival (Bugle Contest)

2009: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd / 2^nd in the Championship Section playing Partita by Philip Sparke / March – Honest Toil by William Rimmer.

2010: St Dennis Silver placed 5^th in the Championship Section playing Un vie de Matelot by Robert Farnon.

2011: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd / 2^nd in the Championship Section playing Carnival Overture / Mozart’s Ave Verum.

2012: St Dennis Silver placed 1^st / 1^st in the Championship Section playing Tallis Variations / I’ll Walk With God by Nicholas Brodszky, arr Goff Richards.

2013: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd / 2^nd in the Championship Section playing Jerusalem by Sir Hubert Parry arr. Philip Sparke / English Heritage by George Lloyd.

2014: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd / 1^st in the Championship Section playing Connotations by E Gregson / March – The Contestor by TJ Powell.

2015: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd / 6^th in the Championship Section playing The Wayfarer by Eric Ball / Hymn – Crimond arr G Richards.

2016: St Dennis Silver placed 1^st / 1^st in the Championship Section playing Variations on a Ninth by G Vinter / ORB March – Arr Cresswell.

2017: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd / 1^st in the Championship Section playing Les Preludes / Irish Tune from County Derry.

2018: St Dennis Silver placed 1^st / 1^st in the Championship Section playing Isaiah 40 by Robert Redhead / March – Jubilee  by Paul Drury.

2019: St Dennis Silver placed 2^nd / 4^th in the Championship Section playing Journey into Freedom / The Lord Bless You and Keep You.

2022: St Dennis Silver placed 1^st / 2^nd in the Championship Section playing On Alderley Edge / March – The Wizard.

2022: St Dennis Youth placed 1^st in the Youth Section.

 

 

Weston-Super-Mare Contest

2009: Upper Rhondda Brass placed 7^th in the Fourth Section playing A Celtic Suite.

 

 

Yeovil Entertainment Contest

2010: St Dennis Silver placed 9^th

2011: St Dennis Silver placed 11^th

2014: St Dennis Silver placed 3^rd

 

 

 

Compiled and written by Tony Mansell (Bardh Kernow – Skrifer Istori)