Ollie Atherton is the principal bass trombonist of the renowned Brighouse and Rastrick Band.
Ollie’s musical life started in earnest at the age of seven on cornet, before moving to the euphonium.
Upon starting high school, he began receiving lessons on trombone and, taking inspiration from his teacher, transferred to bass trombone. Progressing rapidly, Ollie joined the Black Dyke Youth Trombone Quartet and became a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. He undertook six residential courses with NYBBGB, four of which he served as principal bass trombone.
Ollie received lessons from Rath Artist Mark Frost before beginning studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester under Christian Jones (Orchestra of Opera North).
His background in brass banding has seen him perform with the likes of Grimethorpe Colliery, Milnrow, Wingates and Bolton Hoover bands, prior to his position with Brighouse and Rastrick.
Ollie Atherton performs on a Rath Custom R9DST bass trombone with a red brass bell, red brass crook with counterweight plate and Hagmann valves. He has a dual bore bronze hand slide, with slide tuning, and a 9B nickel silver leadpipe.
