I started my first music lessons on the piano at the age of five. Neither of my parents are professional musicians, but they saw that I loved the sounds of the piano and got in touch with a teacher straight away. I started the trumpet three years later, and loved that I was able to play with other people (especially as I was the only trumpet player in my school at the time!). I joined the National Children’s Orchestra on my friend’s recommendation, and when I was older, joined the National Youth Orchestra. It was there that I had many of the experiences that convinced me to try playing professionally, and was also where I met many of the lovely people I am still friends with today.
For my undergraduate music degree, I chose to study at Cambridge University. I am really grateful for all of the experiences I had there; while I was in no way at the top of my class, I really enjoyed learning about music from my lectures, and the way we were encouraged to learn definitely shaped the way I think. However, playing the trumpet took up the most part of my time whilst living in Cambridge. There were so many people wanting to put on interesting concerts, and I always wanted to be part of them. I also found that being able to perform opened a few exciting doors to seeing some of the more long-standing university ceremonies and traditions, which were always exciting spectacles!
I always knew, however, that I wanted to end up learning how to perform. I studied for my master’s at the Royal Academy of Music, and luckily found myself in the most supportive, friendly and talented department I could have hoped for. I graduated in July and have since joined Glyndebourne’s Tour in their production of Rigoletto and finished my year as part of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment’s Experience Scheme. I have also continued to be a part of the education department at the Academy. Through this work I have met so many people that I admire, and whom I know really love being involved in musical activity, whatever their level of previous experience.
When I’m not playing the trumpet, I love to read, but the thing I love most of all is having a good catch up with a friend in a coffee shop.
Royal Academy of Music
London, UK
University of Cambridge
Cambridge, UK
Buck Brass Trio
Solus (Trumpet Ensemble)
If you weren’t a musician, what would you be?
I would love to run an education department for an arts charity.
What’s your most memorable moment as a musician?
One of my most enjoyable experiences was playing with the Cambridge University Jazz Orchestra in our own two-hour concert at West Road Concert Hall. The committee and I had completely free rein over our programme, deciding to perform orchestral arrangements of jazz by Gershwin and Duke Ellington which turned out to be quite ambitious! The band did us so proud and the project felt completely worth it. I would love to organise similar things in the future.
Katie is a member of the 2020-2021 fellowship.