About Tommy Tynan

Born in Saddleworth, a stronghold of British brass banding, Tommy Tynan was immersed in music from a young age. After early beginnings on cornet and drums, he discovered his passion for the tuba and joined Marsden Silver Prize Band at 14 under Glyn Williams. With guidance from Les Neish, Tommy quickly progressed on BBb tuba, earning a place with the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain under Bramwell Tovey, later becoming Principal BBb Bass and collecting both the Tom Atkinson Award for "Most Promising Bass" (2014) and the Katie Ogden Solo Award (2015). Alongside banding, he broadened his musical horizons performing with local orchestras, concert and wind bands, and the Hallé Youth Orchestra.

At 17, Tommy joined the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, contributing to their 2015 British Open victory. He later returned home to play with the Oldham (Lees) Band, gaining valuable contest and conducting experience, leading rehearsals and sectionals, arranging for concerts, and appearing regularly as a soloist. At 20, he conducted a band to a top-six finish at the Yorkshire First Section Regionals and Spring Festival, marking an early step in his development as a musical leader.

University & further development

In 2019, Tommy made the decision to pursue music full-time, beginning a Tuba Performance degree at the University of Huddersfield with Les Neish. During this time, he began specialising on EEb tuba and joined the Fairey Band. His work at Huddersfield spanned performance, arranging and chamber music, contributing to the University's Brass Band and Symphonic Wind Orchestra and helping shape their concert and competition programmes.

Tommy graduated with First Class Honours and received the University Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Brass Department. His involvement in the University Brass Band coincided with their Best Entertainment award at UniBrass 2022, where he helped compile the programme, commissioned a new work, and appeared as featured soloist.

Cory Band

During the summer before his final year, Tommy was invited to audition for the then number one ranked band in the world, Cory Band, as Principal EEb Tuba. After several visits for rehearsals and concerts, he was formally offered the position in December 2021 to begin once his studies concluded. Keen to get started, he began commuting from Yorkshire for rehearsals in early 2022, performing at the Welsh Regional Championships, where Cory took First Prize, and just six weeks later helped secure the European Championship title at Birmingham Symphony Hall, capping an intense week that also included a 90-minute Gala Concert with the Louis Dowdeswell Big Band.

Shortly after that success, Tommy relocated to South Wales. His time with Cory was rich and varied: touring across South Korea, France, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Germany, and Lithuania, appearing as a featured soloist throughout their demanding concert schedule, and contributing to further critically acclaimed contest performances. Tommy's performance of Peter Graham's "Hyperlink" at the 2022 National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall saw him being widely hailed as the best Tuba Soloist of the Day, a performance leading to his inclusion in the 4barsrest Band of the Year 2022.

In 2023, Tommy began adjudication training through the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators and was voted Cory Band Player's Player of the Year, a notable career highlight in his first full year with the band.

Recent work & solo career

The start of 2024 saw Tommy embark on a mini-tour of Australia, performing and teaching in Sydney and Brisbane, including a workshop at the Queensland Conservatorium, before joining Brisbane Excelsior Band to reclaim the Australian National Championship title. Soon after, he travelled to Norway to tutor at the Manger Folkehøgskule Summer School and later to Detroit to work with the Five Lakes Silver Band.

Back in the UK, Tommy was the featured soloist in Cory Band's triumphant return to the Brass in Concert Championships, followed by an acclaimed appearance at the RNCM International Festival of Brass 2025, performing his own arrangement of Ricardo Mollà's "AMAIA - Concerto for Tuba". The performance was described as:

spellbinding... taking the instrument out of the engine room and giving it the spotlight it deserves

Alongside performing, Tommy has developed a strong reputation as an arranger and composer, publishing under his own imprint. Recent works include "AMAIA", the tuba and euphonium feature "When Santa Got Stuck Up the Chimney", and the charity march "Gloster Hill", written for Forest of Dean Brass, which donates proceeds to the Imjin River Memorial Fund.

Present day

Now based back in the north of England and having commenced accountancy studies, Tommy is Principal Tuba with the world-renowned Black Dyke Band. Alongside his performing schedule, he continues to build his portfolio as a soloist, arranger, educator, and adjudicator-in-training, with an increasing number of workshops and masterclasses across the UK and abroad.

2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year already, with Tommy visiting the renowned Mahidol University in Bangkok as guest clinician and reprising his arrangement of "AMAIA", competing in the final of the NYBBGB Conducting Competition, and beginning a new chapter as Musical Director of Lostock Hall Memorial Brass Band.

Tommy is a Performance Artist for Randefalk Music, the official Brass Band transcriber for Ricardo Mollà, and performs on the Randefalk R3X 8.2 mouthpiece.

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