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Below is more information on the band's trombone players.
1st Trombone - Claire Higgins
Claire Higgins works for the Royal Mail as a deputy manager and originally comes from North Wales but settled in Cardiff following  obtaining her music degree from Cardiff University. Claire joined the band in 2003 following a suggestion from her trombone tutor, but she is equally at home playing big band, swing or orchestral genres. Her most notable previous brass bands have been Point of Ayr and Rhyl Silver. Claire started playing at the age of 11 and she also plays Clarinet, Saxophone and Bass Guitar.
Her best moments at RAF St Athan Voluntary Band include playing at the Millennium Stadium for a Wales Home International match and whilst playing a solo deftly kicks the ball back to the footballers on pitch without even missing a note! Claire’s most cringe worthy moment was when working as sound engineer for recording she forgot to switch the soloist microphone on, so just recorded the orchestra and they had to do it all over again! Claire’s favourite band jobs are mess nights with free beer and she secretly confesses to enjoying a good march!!
Claire spends a good deal of time at St Athan even when not playing in the band as she also works as a civilian gliding instructor at St Athan at the weekends.
2nd Trombone - Julie Mahoney
 Julie joined the band in 2004 and has been a salwart of the trombone section ever since. Julie has played various brass instruments, the Horn, Baritone, Euphonium and even the EEb Bass since she began playing at the age of 15. She was encouraged to start playing when she moved school and a Trombone teacher came in to teach during her Physics lessons - brilliant! A chance to make alot of noise and get out of Physics lessons, although this is something that she could no longer condone in her professional role as a Headteacher in Barry!
You would be excused for thinking that playing all of the lower brass instruments would be enough to keep any sane person busy, but not Julie, she likes to really challenge herself and also plays the Bass and Classical Guitars! Julie has played in lots of local bands including Lewis Merthyr, the Vale of Glamorgan Band and is currently a member of Barry Brass.
The highlight of Julie's time at St Athan Band was playing Highland Cathedral with a Massed Voluntary Wind Band of 148 players, a Pipe band of 15 bagpipes and drums, a 7 piece Fanfare Trumpet team not to mention the magnificent organ at Birmingham Symphony Hall in April 2008. Then again, she also got a thrill out of seeing David Beckham in the flesh at the Millennium Stadium when Wales took on England in the World Cup Qualifiers.
Julie's favourite types of band engagements are playing at park bandstands and the more formal of our concerts when we really get to entertain the audience. Her least favourite band job and ongoing embarrassing moments arrive when we are asked to march - no matter how hard she tries the coordination of feet, reading and playing doesn't quite happen. Now then... left, right, no left, no right...
Bass Trombone - Dan Lewis - to follow
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