Dublin Concert Band

Brendan is a native of Sion Mills, Co Tyrone in Northern Ireland. He received his early education in St. Colman’s H.S. Strabane, and in third level education at Queen’s University, Belfast. In 2016 he completed a Masters in Music in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, specialising in conducting and composition.

Brendan has worked for 14 years with the Band of An Garda Síochána, having joined in 2004, as bands person on tuba and percussion. In 2018 Brendan left An Garda Síochána having been appointed the Head of Connect for the Royal Irish Academy of Music, senior manager with responsibility over RIAM Exams, Publications, Outreach, and Teaching & Learning.

As a conductor, Brendan has previously had the role of Musical Director with Arklow Silver Band, the Dublin Symphony Orchestra and the Lucan Concert Band, Assistant Musical Director with Dublin Concert Band, and member of staff at the Artane Band and School of Music. He has enjoyed a successful tenure as the Musical Director of Ardee Concert Band, most notably resulting in two Platinum Award performances in the NCBF Competitions in the UK. Brendan is also the current Musical Director of the Irish Film and Pops Orchestra, and Artistic Director of the Irish Youth Brass Ensemble.

In June 2016 Brendan won the prestigious National Association of Brass Band Conductors competition in the UK, which has afforded him the opportunity of working with some of the main Championship brass bands in the UK, including the Fodens Band, Whitburn Brass Band, the Reg Vardy Brass Band and Carlton Main Frickley Brass Band.

As a composer and arranger, Brendan’s music has featured with orchestras, brass and concert bands across Ireland, the U.K., Europe, and the United States of America. Amongst the leading ensembles and groups that have performed and recorded Brendan’s work are the RT

Concert Orchestra, the Cory Brass Band, the Roberts Bakery Band, the Irish Defence Forces Bands, the Band of An Garda Síochána, the RTÉ ConTempo String Quartet, The Chatham Saxophone Quartet, as well as noted artists such as Cara O’Sullivan, Brian Kennedy and Peter Corry. His scores have featured in musical programming for RTÉ radio and television, as well as the Dublin Fringe Festival.

In February 2017 Brendan was a prize winner in the Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan Composition Contest for his original work ‘Cruise Control’, as well as the audience award from the premiere performance of the three winning entries.