Steven Ponsford

Steven was born in 1983 in Plymouth, UK into a Salvation Army family. He started learning cornet at age eight and later percussion. By the time he was 15, he was writing and scoring pieces for small ensembles, summer schools and the youth band of which he was a member. During his time in Plymouth Congress Hall Band he developed his writing skills, which the band would feature regularly on their programmes. In 2003 the SA published his first piece ('Praise Party!') since when many others have appeared in their journals.

'Turris Fortissima' was a significant work from Steven, which was written for Enfield Citadel Band's USA tour in 2007. It received international acclaim and was subsequently featured by Cory Band at the European Brass Band Championships. Steven continues to write and receive commissions from leading bands all over the world, and in recent years a number of his works, in particular 'Music of a legacy' and 'The day of the Lord', have been chosen as both set and own-choice test pieces at a number of national contests.

In 2022 he co-produced and wrote the majority of arrangements for the popular 'All Tuned Up' publication in partnership with Brookwright Music, a music book/resource providing a collection of 120 famous tunes arranged for flexible brass and woodwind ensembles.

In recent years, Steven has been a guest at various residential music camps, in the UK and US. He also currently plays in the Plymouth City Brass Band where he is the Deputy Musical Director. He also writes and arranges music for the band, and its soloists on a regular basis.