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Brass (continued)

Brass Open Day - Check www.ram.ac.uk/brass

Professor James Watson FRAM

(Picture: Photo of Professor James Watson)

James Watson has held principal trumpet posts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Opera House and London Sinfonietta. International chamber music work has included the Nash Ensemble and leading the world-famous Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. He is particularly active in film and television and has recorded with pop legends Elton John, Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel. His conducting positions have included Artistic Director of the Black Dyke Mills Band, 1992–2000. James was Artistic Director of the National Youth Brass Band of Wales for six years and is Vice-President of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain. Head of Brass since 2001.

The Courses

In recent years the Academy’s Brass Faculty has established itself as one of the foremost in the world. The Academy’s distinguished resident and visiting teachers of brass are active at the highest professional level, and include principal players with London’s leading orchestras and world-renowned solo performers. Students are thus kept in close touch with professional developments and opportunities.

Orchestral and ensemble playing are central to the curriculum, and the Academy expects students to investigate all periods of performance technique, from historical performance to contemporary idioms.

As well as orchestral and chamber concerts, regular rehearsals, sectionals and chamber ensembles are led by distinguished performers from both inside and outside the Academy. Eminent visitors include
Canadian Brass, Joseph Allesi, Kenneth Amis, Ronald Barron, Leonard Candelaria, Hakan Hardenberger, John Kenny, David Krauss, Christian Lindberg, Don Lucas, Eric Ruske, Guy Touvron, the Transatlantic Horn Quartet and Radovan Vlatkovic.

A CD of symphonic brass music, directed by John Wallace and James Watson, was released in 2002.

YourAudition (see p.56 for general details)

A free-choice programme of 10 –15 minutes; one of the works should be an original composition for the instrument.

TheTeachers

Horn
Michael Thompson FRAM (Aubrey Brain Chair, International Soloist)
RichardWatkins FRAM (Dennis Brain Chair, International Soloist)

Visiting Professors of Horn
Richard Clews FRAM (Principal, Royal Opera House)
David Pyatt (Principal, LSO)

Trumpet
Mark David LRAM, Hon ARAM (Principal, Philharmonia)
Robert Farley Hon ARAM (Principal, Hanover Band)
Rod Franks (Principal Trumpet, LSO)
Howard Snell FRAM (former Principal, LSO)
Derek Watkins (leading session player)
Professor James Watson FRAM

Commercial Brass Consultant
DerekWatkins (leading session player)

Tenor Trombone
Ian Bousfield Hon ARAM (Principal, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
Dudley Bright Hon ARAM (Principal, LSO)
DenisWick FRAM (former Principal, LSO)

Bass Trombone
Robert Hughes FRAM (LSO)
Keith McNicoll (Principal, Royal Opera House)

Tuba
Patrick Harrild Hon RAM (Principal, LSO)
Oren Marshall

Euphonium and Bass Trumpet
James Maynard (LSO)

Historical Brass Instruments
Andrew Clark GGSM, Hon ARAM Natural Horn (Principal, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra)
Robert Farley Hon ARAM Natural Trumpet and Cornetto (Principal, Hanover Band)
John Hutchins LRAM (natural trumpet)
Patrick Jackman Sackbut and Early Trombone (Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Gabrieli Consort)
Stephen Wick Serpent and Ophicleide (London Gabrieli Brass)

LRAM (Art of Teaching)
Howard Snell FRAM
AdamWright BMus, LRAM

2006– 2007 Highlights
Master-classes with Ian Bousfield, David Pyatt, Howard Snell, Amy Gilreath, Martin Owen and Mark Nightingale.
Classes with Michael Laird, Peter Blake, Nicholas Korth and Rod Franks.
Brass Soloists performances at the Academy andWells Cathedral School.
World premières performed by Trombone Choir and Brass Soloists Trombone Choir concert with Mark
Nightingale.
Inagural lecture-recital by Professor James Watson
Concert to mark the retirement of Howard Snell
Collaborative scheme with the London Symphony Orchestra

Recent Student Successes

Recent graduates play with BBC orchestras, Birmingham Royal Ballet, City of Birmingham Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra, Hallé, London Symphony, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Scottish Opera. Ensembles include Onyx, Karelia and QuintEssential.