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, Håkan Hardenberger, John Kenny, David Krauss, Christian Lindberg, Don Lucas, Eric Ruske, Guy Touvron, the Transatlantic Horn Quartet and Radovan Vlatkovic.

The Academy’s second CD of symphonic brass music, directed by James Watson and featuring works by Strauss and Wagner, was released in 2008.

'a truly excellent ensemble' Gramophone, February 2009

'I have to say that I was blown away with what I listened to. This CD is awesome by any standards... I was gripped by stupendous brass playing, musicianship and sheer quality of this music making' Brass Herald, December 2008

'The success of the department speaks for itself, as does the enthusiasm and fondness with which its graduates speak of it.' Brass Herald, August 2006

2009– 2010 Highlights
> Recording of an American Icons CD, to be released in Autumn 2010
> Masterclasses with Eric Aubier, Simon Rayner, Radovan Vlatkovic, Reinhold Friedrich, Michael Laird, Alessio Allegrini and Ian Bousfield
> Operatic Brass performance in the Academy’s Duke’s Hall Playing for the investiture of the new Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster at Westminster Cathedral, live on national television

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