Initiated to brass banding in South Wales, Kathryn took up the cornet at the tender age of nine. Kathryn learned to play with the South Glamorgan Youth Bands before being whisked off to boarding school in sunny Yorkshire. After a brief stint with Bridlington Excelsior she was introduced to East Riding Youth Brass Band under the baton of Graham Townsend, then her tutor. Kathryn enjoyed competition success with the band, making a cassette (before the advent of CD) and international tours to Germany and Switzerland eventually leaving the band in 1990 when she moved with her family to Hereford. University in Birmingham saw her play back row cornet with City of Birmingham and then a move to Sheffield led her to play with the South Yorkshire Police Band. During her time there she went to her first National Finals in Wembley before moving from cornet onto baritone because of a lack of players. Much better suited to the instrument Kathryn progressed well and made another recording with a band – this time to CD! Shortly before a move to Bristol she decided to take time out of competition banding and joined up with some players from the now demised Polypipe Band to form a ten piece band and also depped on baritone for the Yorkshire Imps, all great experience. On moving to Bristol Kathryn then joined Bendix Kingswood Band and had a great time with them, meeting Rob, her husband, there. Again due to lack of players Kathryn changed instruments, this time to euphonium, her first time out on it being to the National Finals in Preston. The band were on a high and went to the National Finals again the following year, followed by promotion to the first section. Another cross country move, this time to Stoke-on-Trent meant leaving Bendix Kingswood Band and many good friends behind. In Stoke-on-Trent Kathryn found it difficult to find a band to play for. She spent a brief time with Rhode Hall Silver, going with them to the regional competition for the first time in the history of the band and sang with Congleton Choral Society. Another child on the way though, made continuing full time with banding difficult. Because of this she took the move to Silk Brass to just ‘go along and have a blow and help out every now and then’. Lack of players yet again prompts an instrument change and Kathryn has agreed to move back to baritone and become a permanent member of Silk Brass.