Below is more information on the band's cornet players.
Principal Cornet - Claire Bourne
Claire Bourne has been associated with RAF St Athan Voluntary Band since 1991 and took over the Principal Cornet position in May 2008. Previously Cl aire has played in other seats in the band including Flugel Horn and Soprano Cornet. Claire is Head of Music at Willows High School, Cardiff.
Claire grew up in Pembrokeshire and began playing aged 12 because her little brother started playing in the local youth band. Even though her dream instrument was cornet, she was given a tenor horn out of the stock room and a career was born. Finally making the switch to cornet aged 14, Claire played with Pembroke Borough Silver Band whilst at school and was promoted to Principal Cornet at the age of 16. Claire has played with the National Youth Brass Band of Wales on Cornet and Flugel Horn. Claire has also played with Gwaun Cae Gurwen Band and with Tredegar Town Band. Claire studied music at Huddersfield University having lessons from Phillip McCann and played with the Lockwood Band in Huddersfield.
Claire's most embarrassing moment was when she forgot her soprano cornet on the day of a contest and had to get a friend to go to her house find the key for her car which was locked in the garage so it could be driven to Treorchy in time for the end of the rehearsal! Its just as well there are no speed cameras on that road!
A St Athan village resident, Claire lives with husband Alan and young son Oliver, a future player (?) she enjoys participating in the pub quiz and does an occasional turn at Karaoke.
Assistant Principal and Deputy Band OIC - Andy Parks
Andy Park s is a former member of the Royal Air Force and now works at Abbeywood, Bristol for the Ministry of Defence on the Typhoon Team. His son Chris, has also played with the band. Andy is Alan’s Deputy within the band and is known throughout the RAF and beyond for his unrivalled ability on the posthorn and is a regular soloist for the band.
Andy began playing at school at 16 and after obtaining his Grade 8 he made a musical career for himself within the voluntary band movement in the Royal Air Force. He has played at St Athan twice and also at Waddington Voluntary Band, also other civilian bands around the Air Force Stations where he has been based during his RAF career including Coedely here in Wales.
Andy’s favourite band engagements, he admits, are the ones with free beer although he remembers the band’s flight to London from St Athan on the Queen’s plane as a highlight. His most embarrassing moment was when the band were playing American Patrol and he started off with The Woodchopper’s Ball – oops! Andy has recently taken up motorbiking and spends a good deal of his spare time with his family at race tracks around the country.
Solo Cornets
David Gordon
 David joined the youth band along with his wife Wendy when he decided it was time to educate their three children in the ways if Brass Banding. Daughter Harriet has since played Cornet in the band and departed to study for a Degree in Medincine at Edinburgh University, meanwhile his two sons Alex and Chris still play regularly on a Tuesday night. Two years ago David joined the ranks of the front row team and is enjoying the technical challenge that this brings.
He lives in Llysworney now but he grew up in the North West and Scotland and still enjoys his trips back to visit his family. David works in Companies House in Cardiff and travels all over the country with his work, but he looks forward to the long Summer holidays each year when he takes his family on an extended holiday to sunnier climates.
David's favourite types of engagements are the overnight trips and a real highlight for him was when the band took part in the Massed Voluntary Band concert at Birmingham Symphony Hall in 2008.
David Powell
 David joined the band in time to play at the Royal National Eisteddfod in Bala in 2009 and has quickly immersed himself into the team. He lives in Llanmaes with his wife and came along with his daughter who plays on a Tuesday night in the Youth Band. David took up playing at the age of 11 whilst at school and also played with the British Steel Band in the 1970s and Sandhurst Silver Band in the 90s. Although David is a grade 8 trumpet player, he also plays keyboards and guitar, his signs of a misspent youth in a pop band now include having to wear acoustic earplugs to reduce tinnitus, that's a relief to the rest of the front row who thought they were just playing too loud!
David works as Energy Manager for the Vale of Glamorgan Council and his hobbies include maintaining his father's wind turbine and growing trees proving he's true to his ideals on the environment.
David's most embarrassing musical moment was when tuning up the band in Sandhurst, he asked the first player by name to play the obligatory C, then prompting realised he couldn't remember everyone esle's name, so from that point on it was "next"! The highlight of David's time at the band so far has been the trip to Bala as David was able to take his family and also playing to a packed house at St David's Hall. David is particularly pleased with the cornet that he has been given to play, he says his Besson Prestige cornet "is a joy to play".
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