Trombone

Born in London but brought up in Kent, Philip started playing the trombone aged 8. At 13 he became a founder member of the National Childrens Orchestra and at 14 entered the junior department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Here he studied with Leon Taylor and 2 years later won the coverted brass prize. Upon leaving school Philip went top the Royal College of Music where he spent 4 years studying with John Iveson and Arthur Wilson. He graduated 4 years later with a GRM Hons degree and a ARCM performing diploma.

Throughout Philip’s career he has worked with many diverse groups and ensembles. Earlier in his career he worked on cruise ships and in touring and West End shows such as Chess, Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, Guys and Dolls, Lion King, Cats, Starlight Express and The Wizard of Oz. He is a regular performer with cutting edge contemporary music ensembles such as the London Sinfonietta, Ensemble Modern and the Britten Sinfonia. His orchestral work has been where Philip has spent the most part of his career so far. He freelanced with most of the leading UK orchestras such as the London Symphony, BBC Symphony, BBC Concert, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony, Welsh Opera, English National Opera and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. In 2001 he was appointed 2nd Trombone in the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he held until 2010 when he moved to the same position in the Philharmonia Orchestra.

He currently teaches trombone and brass chamber music at Trinity College of Music and coaches the Kent County Youth Orchestra summer schools.

Away from the trombone Philip has a busy family life, having been married for twenty years he is the proud father of three children and lives in a small village in Kent where in his spare time he can be found digging up his large garden with the mini-digger he bought especially for that purpose.