Neil Brownless is a conductor of Brass and Wind Bands based in Witney, Oxfordshire. In July 2020 Neil became the second person to graduate (with Distinction) from the Masters degree course in Brass Band Conducting under the tutelage of Dr Robert Childs at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Neil came 3rd in the 2024 Brass Band Conductors’ Association international conducting competition having also been a semi finalist in the 2022 and 2023 competitions. In May 2025 Neil was the only British entrant to make the quarter finals in the European Conducting Competition in Stavanger, Norway.

Neil has experience conducting bands at all levels, he had an 11 year tenure as Musical Director of Abingdon Concert Band and a 10 year involvement with the Towcester Studio Band organisation. Neil is currently Professional Conductor for the Cheltenham Silver Band organisation and is in demand as a guest conductor in the area. On the contest stage, Neil has had great success, including appearances at the National Finals in 2024 with Towcester Studio Band and 2022 with Wantage Concert Brass.

Neil has also turned his hand to composing and arranging and has published arrangements for both Wind and Brass Band, and Trombone Ensemble. In 2021, Neil was awarded the ‘Best Music Creator for a Leisure Time Group’ award from Making Music UK for his composition Keep the Rhythm Going, which was written in the Covid lockdown as a tribute to all of the musicians that kept making music through virtual performances.