Conductor, Band Trainer, Private Tutor of Performance and Theory, Cornet / Trumpet player, Brass Specialist

Eliot was born in the village of Stannington in Sheffield in 1982. He started to play the cornet at the age of 10 and soon joined his local brass band - Stannington. Within a year or so of playing, he had already won his first competition and many other successes soon followed. He attained his grade 8 on cornet at the age of just 14. Continuing with his education, he studied Music, Business, Information Technology and Economics ‘A' level at High Storrs School in Sheffield after which he studied for a BMus degree at the University Of Huddersfield under the watchful eye of his cornet tutor, the world famous Phillip McCann.

Eliot was a founder member of the Raging Horns – a funk/jazz band he formed while at secondary school. He has also been a member of Soul Stone Funk Project. He was a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain often appearing in the Harry Mortimer solo final and conducting sectional sessions. Eliot was also a member of the City Of Sheffield Youth Orchestra where he played principal trumpet.

Eliot has performed extensively in many countries, with many bands and in many concert halls; Spain, Switzerland, France, Austria, Belgium and closer to home the Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham's Symphony Hall, Sage Centre Gateshead and Manchester's Bridgewater Hall – to name but a few!

Eliot came to Dodworth Band in 2004 at a time when the Band was struggling to find players and was facing the possibility of folding. Since he took over the baton, Dodworth Band has gone from strength to strength and has moved from the 4^th Section to the 2^nd Section, the highlight being a win in the 4^th Section National Finals in Harrogate in 2006. Eliot's conducting career has flourished during his time with Dodworth, the results speaking for themselves.

Eliot is in great demand as a conductor, player and brass tutor all over the country. He has led Sellers Engineering Band, Ransome Band and Old Silkstone Band on principal cornet and has guested with many of the country’s other elite bands and orchestras. Eliot enjoys performing as part of a group but especially enjoys his solo work. However, he says his biggest highlight of all playing/performing is teaching, what he calls the "people of tomorrow". He was successful in setting up a Training Band at Dodworth, which is now thriving . In 2011 Eliot was appointed as a peripatetic brass tutor in the Sheffield area, where he is able to pursue a career which makes full use of his musical qualifications and talents.

For more details about the tutoring that Eliot can give for brass or piano, go to www.thetutorpages.com/tutor/eliot-darwin-brass-piano-teacher-sheffield