Below is more information on the band's percussion players.
Derrick White MBE
Derrick White MBE has played at RAF St Athan Voluntary Band for 42 years and is a retired member of the Royal Air Force. After 38 years’ service he finished his career as a Chief Technician. On leaving the RAF he worked for the Minsitry of Defence on aircraft engineering projects with a rank of Professional Technology Officer for a further 10 years. He began playing aged 17 on military fife and parade side drum he was inspired to take up the drum kit by the great drummers of the 30s, 40 & 50s. His services as a drummer have ensured a very varied musical career playing in dance and swing bands, military bands, brass bands and also smaller ensembles. Derrick coordinates the band’s Drum Corps and gives drum lessons at the bandroom in his spare time.
Derrick’s greatest achievement during his time in the band was to be awarded an MBE in recognition of all the teaching he has done and to reflect his incredible career within the Voluntary Band at RAF St Athan. His favourite types of band engagements are concerts where there are large audiences, and he always hopes for a large stage after the numerous times he has set up on tiny stages resulting in him falling off – twice!
In his spare time he enjoys to keep fit by ballroom dancing, most forms of sport and he fixes anything that needs fixing. Derrick really hopes that one day someone will invent an inflatable, self-sealing drumkit that works! Well that would be something!
Debbie Lewis
Debbie Lew is works for the Vale of Glamorgan Council as an Adult Education Officer and lives in Barry with her husband Alan (Euphonium) and her children Rachael (Horn), Katie and Daniel. She was introduced to the Band after Alan began playing at St Athan. Debbie is a Pianist and Violinist at heart but got roped into playing Timpani when the conductor of the Vale of Glamorgan Band realised she could read music, she just rolled on from there really!
Debbie’s best experience at St Athan has been playing at Birmingham Symphony Hall with the Massed RAF Voluntary Bands with 150 players and 8 percussionists, although she loves the travelling that we get to do with the band and her favourite type of band engagements are the Christmas jobs – except for Alan’s annual Rudolph joke! Debbie is now however banned from packing the bags for away trips after forgetting her band trousers for the Eisteddfod once. She was forced to borrow a black slip from a chorister to wear over her denim skirt. She would have got away with it but for the live TV coverage – the evidence still lies somewhere within the BBC archives!
In her spare time, Debbie loves caravan holidays with friends where she fills her time barbecuing, reading, watching movies, drinking wine and eating chocolate.
Sarah Filer - Details to follow
| 
