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.
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
2008 - 2009 Highlights
> Release of Symphonic Brass CD
> Masterclasses with Boston Brass, Eric Aubier, Thierry Caens, Reinhold Friedrich, Michael Laird, Alessio Allegrini, Mark Nightingale and Rex Richardson
> Brass Soloists performances at the Academy and Wells Cathedral School
> Academy Brass Band performs ‘Slavonic Brass’
> Symphonic Wind and Brass concert
> Concert of brass music from the 16th and 17th centuries
> Trombone Choir concerts with Bob Hughes and Gordon Campbell
> Research seminars on ‘Revolutionary Brass’ (Paris Conservatoire around 1815) and
‘Composing for Brass’
> 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 Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Scottish Opera. Ensembles include Onyx, Karelia and QuintEssential.