Introduction
Studying a wind, brass or percussion instrument at Trinity Laban will allow you to combine rigorous technical training with the flexibility to develop as a creative individual. Our world-class teachers will inspire and support you as you develop as a musician and as a person, deepening your technical and musical understanding on your journey towards professional musicianship. Alongside intensive training, you will be encouraged to broaden your experience by collaborating with performers across the conservatoire.
We offer inspirational teachers, magnificent surroundings, unique performance opportunities and a supportive atmosphere helping you become a high-class, versatile musician.
Teaching
Individual Principal Study lessons will allow you to study with some of the best musicians in the world. Additional small group tuition and instrument-specific classes will enable you to further develop your skills. You may also study a related instrument, or another discipline to complement your specific interests.
Weekly Departmental classes support your Principal Study and equip you for the diverse world of professional music- making. Classes cover a host of topics, including repertoire, technique, style, genre, performance, transposition, sight reading, recording studio techniques, doubling, period instruments and combating performance anxiety.
You will benefit from regular chamber music coaching led by our renowned teachers, which encompasses both standard groups as well as more unusual combinations, cross-discipline groups, mixed media and improvisation. You will also be encouraged to utilise the diverse collaborative opportunities at your doorstep, whether that is developing key ensemble skills through weekly chamber music classes, or working with students from other departments and the Faculty of Dance through our annual CoLab festival.
Performance
Performance is vital to the life of the department. We encourage you to take every opportunity to refine your skills as a soloist, chamber and orchestral performer, from playing in large ensembles, to exploring chamber repertoire and improvisation-based work. Our ensembles include: symphony, chamber and opera orchestras, contemporary music group, musical theatre band, wind orchestra, saxophone choir, brass ensemble and percussion ensemble.
Our lunchtime concert series in the beautiful Old Royal Naval College Chapel and St Alfege Church provides regular opportunities to give public recitals, alongside opportunities to play at top London venues such as Kings Place, Southbank Centre, Blackheath Halls and Cadogan Hall.
Our regular Side by Side projects with top orchestras gives you the opportunity to perform together with world-leading professionals. Recent Side by Side projects have been given by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera Orchestra and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Find out more about Music Performance Opportunities.
Facilities and Instruments
Instruments
The Department holds a large collection of woodwind instruments that students can borrow, often on long-term loan. The collection includes:
piccolos; alto flutes; bass flute; cors anglais; oboes d’amore; E-flat clarinets; C clarinets; A clarinets; basset horns; bass clarinets; contrabass clarinets in E-flat and B-flat; contrabassoons; and sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass saxophones.
The Department holds a large collection of modern and period brass instruments that students can borrow, often on long-term loan. This includes:
piccolo trumpets; E-flat trumpets; cornets; flugel horns; alto trombones; tenor trombones; bass trombone; alphorns; natural trumpets; cornetts; hand horns; and alto, tenor and bass sackbuts. Many of our brass students choose to take a period instrument as a second study.
Facilities
There are dedicated practice suites for Brass and Percussion are available as well as a newly refurbished reed making facility for Woodwind.
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Collaboration
Under the direction of our acclaimed teaching staff, you will benefit from regular chamber music coaching which encompasses both standard groups such as quintets and dectets as well as more unusual combinations. We also encourage you to work with students from other genres, including cross-discipline groups, mixed media and improvisation.
Masterclasses
Learning directly from renowned professionals through our extensive series of masterclasses is a privilege that enhances your development as a musician. You will benefit from the expertise and experience of some of today’s eminent woodwind, brass and percussion players from around the world, including musicians from the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Woodwind
Recent visitors include Arno Bornkamp, Mary-Karen Clardy, Adam Walker, Emily Beynon, Celia Craig, Rainer Gibbons, Barnaby Robson, Harri Mäki, Emily Hultmark, Jérôme Laran, Tong Yang, Jean-Denis Michat, and soloists from the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic.
Brass
Recent visitors include Nikolaj Viltoft, Byron Fulcher, Andrew Bain, Frank Lloyd, Szabolcs Zempléni, Philip Cobb, Thomas Hooten, John Wallace, Brandt Attema, Dudley Bright, Zoltan Kiss, Paul Milner, Sérgio Carolino and Patrick Harrild.
Percussion
Recent workshops have been given by Joby Burgess, Adrian Bending, Dave Elliott, Mark McDonald, Daniella Ganeva, Buster Birch, Kuljit Bhamra MBE and Andy Smith.
Graduates
Woodwind
Yasmin Ogilvie tours internationally with Astraeus Saxophone Quartet and dance bands Hedkandi, Ministry of Sound and High on Heels. Has recorded at prestigious locations including Maida Vale, Abbey Road and Pinewood Studios.
Kevin Banks is principal clarinet of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, following eight years as principal clarinet with Opera North.
Claire McInerney has played in the house band on The X-Factor, Parkinson and Strictly Come Dancing, as well as in West End shows such as Dreamgirls, Phantom of the Opera and many more.
Danielle Hartley has played in numerous West End productions, including Merrily We Roll Along and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Fiona Kelly is principal flute with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, after being 2nd flute deputy with the New York Philharmonic.
Rebecca Allen is President of Decca Records. She was also named number 7 on the Woman’s Hour Power List 2018 of the Top 40 Women in Music.
Brass
Sarah Butler is Principal Trumpet of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra – the first and only female Principle trumpet player in the region.
Bernard Doughty plays trombone with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria.
Ian Parkes is horn soloist with the Seville Royal Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Royal Opera House and the London Brass Consort.
Rob Croft is Head of Brass at Berkshire Maestros.
Percussion
Paul Turner is Principal Timpanist with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
Kate Eyre is Principal Timpanist with English National Ballet.
Paul Philbert was the founding Section Principal Timpani with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Paul was then Principal Timpanist with the Orchestra of Opera North UK for three years and is currently Section Principal Timpanist with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Principal Timpanist with Chineke! Orchestra.
Matt King is Principal Percussion in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Corrina Silvester was Principal Percussionist for 42nd Street at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Dave Elliott is a West End drummer who has played in numerous shows including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Thriller Live and Jersey Boys.
Kieran Leonard was the featured bodhrán soloist on feature film How to Train your Dragon 2. He freelances regularly with English National Opera and plays with international touring show Celtic Legends.
To view the impressive organisations that our alumni have worked with, visit Alumni Destinations.
For more information on the successes of Trinity Laban Wind, Brass and Percussion graduates and what they have to say about the course, visit Alumni Profiles.
Wind, Brass and Percussion at Trinity Laban
Our Wind, Brass and Percussion students are trained to be first-class musicians and performers, able to work confidently at the highest levels. View the gallery to see our students in action.
- 1 - The Gold Medal Competition, held at Kings Place, London
- 2 - Rude Health: A Festival of New Music
- 3 - Trinity Laban Symphony Orchestra performing at Blackheath Halls, London
- 4 - Trinity Laban Symphony Orchestra performing at Cadogan Hall, London
- 5 - Side by Side project with members of Trinity Laban teaching staff
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