John Hamilton, one of the Assistant Tutors in the Kingdom Brass Youth Initiative, began playing the baritone at the age of 12 at his local high school in Stirling, under the direction of James McCarroll.

After only 5 months experience on the instrument he progressed into Cumbernauld Silver Band and 4 weeks later won his first playing award in the Falkirk Festival of Music.

While still learning at school, John joined the Central Scotland Brass Band and the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland Reserves Band. He then moved up to play in the Senior National Youth Brass Band of Scotland the following year, and spent 5 years playing in the NYBBS band, occupying the principle baritone seat for 4 of those years.

A highlight of his time in the NYBBS was playing in Switzerland following an exchange the previous year, which was a truly memorable experience in his youth.

John moved to Alva town band as 1st Baritone in his 3rd year of playing and progressed with the band through many contests and played latterly with Clackmannan Band in the Championship Section.

He then took a break of many years from playing only returning in January of 2005, when he bought a Euphonium and started playing at home. John joined Dunfermline Town Band in July of 2005 and then made the step up to the Championship Section again with Kingdom Brass five months later.

John was playing Euphonium with Kingdom when they won the Senior Trophy in the British Open qualifiers in Blackpool in 2006 and went on the "world famous" tour with the band to Germany.