Bob Bearman – Musical Director

Bob was born and educated in Essex, and he became involved with music at an early age, including piano lessons and as a choir boy at his local church. He began trumpet lessons at the age of 10 with local musician Bert Collier.

Whilst a student at Southend College of Technology, he studied part time with Horace Barker at the Guildhall School of Music, gaining his L.G.S.M. in Trumpet Performance. He then went on to study full-time at the Royal Academy of Music, with Bill Overton and Ray Allen where he was awarded the L.R.A.M. He has performed as a soloist with local orchestras and has played on the radio with other guest soloists and singers. 

Further studies at Bulmershe College in Reading led to qualifications as a teacher and he became Principal Instrument Teacher (Brass and Percussion) for Essex Music Services, a position he held until 1998. Through his involvement with young people in the south of the county, Bob has both established and conducted Junior and Senior Wind Bands of the Thor Oak Orchestras in Grays and he became an associate conductor of South East Essex Youth Orchestra (formally Southend Youth Orchestra) where he was a playing member in his youth. He had a very successful career in teaching and many of his pupils reached a high standard and are still playing today.

Both his Father and Grandfather played brass instruments – his Grandfather became the bandmaster of Stanford le Hope Salvation Army Band, and his Father, who took a slightly different route, played trumpet in a local dance band, with Bob occasionally playing alongside him as a youngster.

Bob has played in the orchestras for many of the local societies and is also active with brass band and ensemble playing. He was a founder member of the Southend Brass Ensemble, and he plays for Southend Symphony Orchestra where he became principal trumpet in 1973. He joined Rayleigh Brass in 1991 principally to take his son Pete along at the age of 6 to play 3rd cornet alongside him. He found himself conducting the following week and became principal cornet a few years later after Colin Maynard stepped down – a role he only recently gave up in 2022. Both his sons have become successful brass players, with Pete having conducted Rayleigh in the past, and his youngest, Chris, is currently Musical Director of Redbridge Brass and both he and Pete still come and play at Rayleigh when time permits.

On the odd occasion when he has some spare time, he and his wife Mandy, who is also heavily involved in music in the South Essex area, like to travel around Europe and Britain. He is currently planning a tour of Scottish distilleries in the vain hope he finds a whisky that he doesn’t like (hasn’t happened yet)!

After a short time languishing on 2nd man down, he was persuaded to take the role of Musical Director and the rest as they say is history!!