About It's Not a Trumpet
Hello! I'm Liv Richardson and I have been a brass band musician for over 20 years ago. When I was 18, I set up It's Not a Trumpet as a little blog where I could jot down my experiences and general musings as a young 'brass bander'. It was never supposed to be shared or seen by anyone other than me, until one day I decided to test the water and share a post on Facebook.
Since then, it has grown into a publication and media hub spanning news, features, video and social media, with an average of 4000 monthly readers and almost 10,000 social media followers (and growing!).
For someone who adores the brass band community, to see this publication grow into what it is today and the opportunities it has opened up, has been nothing short of humbling and I will be forever grateful.
So, whether you're a brass band musician, a brass band fan or a someone who just loves music and wants to find out more about this vibrant musical community, welcome and thank you for your support!
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My brass band journey
It's no exaggeration to say that my life would not be what it is today without brass banding. Before I joined my first band at the age of seven, I was a quiet, nervous and shy kid that hadn't really found where I belonged. The thought of standing up in front of an audience was quite simply a nightmare.
Since joining banding, I developed a love of performing and if you met me now, you would never imagine I could be the aforementioned 'shy kid'
I've had the privilege to play for a number of bands over the years and I'm grateful to have have had my playing recognised with a few awards along the way:
Bands & Positions
Old Hall Community Band - 2004-2009 - Percussion/Cornet
Old Hall Brass 2009 - 2015 - Principal Cornet
Eccles Borough Band - 2015 -2016 & 2019-2020 - Repiano Cornet & Flugelhorn
Leyland Band - 2016 - 2017 - 2nd Cornet and Flugelhorn (Cover)
Freckleton Band 2020 - 2021 - Principal Cornet
Wingates Band - 2021 - 2023 - Flugelhorn
Rainford Band - 2023 - Present - Assistant Principal & Flugelhorn
Awards
Foden's Solo Competition 2015 - Slow Melody - 2nd Place
Foden's Solo Competition 2016 - Air Varie - 2nd Place
Colne Valley Solo Competition 2016 - Slow Melody - 1st Place
Colne Valley Solo Compeition 2016 - Air Varie - 3rd Place
Colne Valley Solo Competition 2016 - Best Cornet
Spring Festival - Senior Cup 2026 - Best Soloist