Tony Cross

Biography

Tony Cross was a specialist musician at Wells Cathedral School before studying music at The City University and a postgraduate in orchestral studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Having graduated he has been ubiquitous as a freelance trumpeter in all of London’s major symphony, chamber and opera orchestra’s for nearly thirty years. His early career focussed on a passion for contemporary music and included extended periods of work with both the London Sinfonietta and Ensemble Modern. This was contrasted with historically informed performances on original instruments with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the English Concert. Tony has had close ties with music making in Norway where he held the position of co-principal trumpet in the Bergen Philharmonic orchestra and the contemporary music ensemble BIT20, in addition to teaching at the Bergen Conservatoire. On returning from Norway Tony enjoyed a period of six years working as principal trumpet in West End musical theatre. It was during this period that he realised a long held ambition to train as a teacher of the Alexander Technique, which he now uses as an educational tool in his instrumental teaching. Tony has taught at the Purcell School for the last twelve years and also holds teaching positions at Trinity Laban, the London College of Music and the RAF. He continues to freelance widely.