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Following Derek's father's long connection with the Aveley Brass Band from 1921 to 1986, Derek was encouraged to join Aveley Junior Band in 1962 studying with Cyril Mead, Jack Jones and Harold Green. He then entered the Senior Band making his debut at the Friends Meeting House Euston for the Daily Herald Contest in 1964 where he played Eflat bass. He transferred onto Bflat around 1967. Derek has completed concert tours to Belgium, Holland, Germany and France and recordings for broadcasts include ‘Listen to the Band’, ‘Friday Night is Music Night, ‘Among Your Souvenirs’ and ‘Sam on Sunday’. He has appeared in many television shows, television advertisements and documentaries and appeared at the National Theatre in the stage production of ‘Brassed Off’. He has also been involved in many band recordings and has appeared at the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall and the Westminster Central Hall many times.

Derek served on the band committee for over thirty years and was the band chairman for over twenty five years . He is a band trustee and Vice President and was made a life member of the Aveley & Newham Brass Band in 1996 having served the band with an unbroken service for forty two years.

Basses

Ed Ashby

E flat bass

Barry Pantry

B flat bass

George Bray

B flat bass

Derek Morris

B flat bass

George has been playing the tuba for about eleven years, he started when he was at secondary school where he played in wind bands, orchestras and brass groups. He was taught by Bernard Bean a former professional trombone player who now teaches all brass instruments at his school. He has been performing with brass bands for the past four years, on both the Eflat and Bflat bass and has played with the Kidlington Concert Brass and the Oxford University brass band.

He began playing for the Aveley and Newham Brass band in the summer of 2010 and made his debut performance with the band at the 2010 national finals at the Royal Albert Hall . Whilst at Oxford University George gave several solo performances including an evening recital for the master of his college and with the Oxford University Brass Band where he played the Carnival of Venice.

George is also a keen keyboard player and has passed grade eight contemporary keyboard as well as the associated board grade eight exam for tuba and other  brass instruments.

One of his favourite tuba players is Øystein Baadsvik, a Norwegian tuba virtuoso and he particularly enjoys his recording of the Fredrik Högberg 'Rocky Island Boat Bay' tuba concerto.