I began playing the trumpet around age 10 or 11 after a year of screeching away on a violin. I learnt through Aberdeen city council music service and quickly fell in love with music through playing with the concert band at my secondary school as well as all the wind band, brass band, and orchestra at the music service.
Most recently, I went to Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for a Master’s degree in Orchestral Performance, where I studied with Philippe Schartz, Dean Wright, and Ross Brown. I was also lucky to have the opportunity to participate in placement schemes with BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera as well as the college's Symphony Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, and Wind Orchestra. Prior to this, I studied at Edinburgh Napier University with Marcus Pope and Chris Hart as well as John Harbaugh during my semester abroad at Central Washington University.
I began playing the trumpet around age 10 or 11 after a year of screeching away on a violin. I learnt through Aberdeen city council music service and quickly fell in love with music through playing with the concert band at my secondary school as well as all the wind band, brass band, and orchestra at the music service.
Most recently, I went to Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for a Master’s degree in Orchestral Performance, where I studied with Philippe Schartz, Dean Wright, and Ross Brown. I was also lucky to have the opportunity to participate in placement schemes with BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera as well as the college's Symphony Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, and Wind Orchestra. Prior to this, I studied at Edinburgh Napier University with Marcus Pope and Chris Hart as well as John Harbaugh during my semester abroad at Central Washington University.
As a freelance musician, I enjoy the diverse range of musical opportunities that come with playing the trumpet. Aside from orchestral work with Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, on the more unusual side of freelancing, I've had the opportunity to play in an orchestral rendition of Daft Punk's music with Infinity Orchestra as well as an appearance on Welsh speaking soap opera
Pobol Y Cwm as a supporting artist in a brass quartet.
I have a passion for music in community and education settings, having performed in prisons, primary schools, dementia centres, care homes and additional support needs centres as well as leading and supporting workshops in some of these settings. Part of this work was through my fellowship with Nevis Ensemble. I also taught as a musician with Big Noise in the Douglas community in Dundee, where I led brass classes as well as delivering general musicianship sessions in primary schools.
EDUCATION
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
Cardiff, Wales
Edinburgh Napier University
Edinburgh, Scotland
Central Washington University
Washington State, USA
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
What is your favourite piece of music and why do you love it?
It’s so hard to pick a favourite, but I absolutely love Mahler’s 9th Symphony. I remember the first time I listened to it from start to finish when I was about 15. I realised that I would love to be able to perform music like that as part of an orchestra. I’ve been lucky enough to perform it once during my undergraduate degree, and my love for it has only grown since then!
Where’s your favourite place to listen to music and why?
Anywhere that it's live! Whether it’s in a concert hall, arena, pub, or jazz bar, I think hearing music live is unbeatable.
