News
Sam Jacobs
Samuel Jacobs has recently been appointed Principal horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; a position he will take up in early 2014 after two years as Principal horn of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Samuel has freelanced as guest Principal horn with the Philharmonia, Melbourne Symphony and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras, and had regular work with the London Symphony, Sydney Symphony and BBC Symphony Orchestras. He deputised on The Lion King in the West End and made commercial recordings for the film and pop industries, including the Sting ‘Symphonicities’ CD recorded at Abbey Road. Personal career highlights include performing with Sting at the Hollywood Bowl, New York Met and MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and touring America, Canada and Europe playing Principal horn with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra on their Star Wars In Concert tour.
His solo experience includes concertos by Haydn, Mozart, Hoffmann, Franz Strauss and Richard Strauss, as well as Schumann’s ‘Konzertstuck’ on Principal horn. Previous teachers include Richard Kennedy, Beccy Goldberg, Julian Plummer, Martin Owen, Michael Thompson and Richard Watkins; and now Samuel himself teaches horn at the New Zealand School of Music. Outside of music, Sam has been an extra in the hit Bollywood movie ‘Blue’ and appeared on four television quiz shows, including Countdown.
Kira Doherty
Kira Doherty has been appointed Second Horn with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Kira has previously worked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, National Orchestra of Wales, English Chamber Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Opera North, English National Ballet, London Sinfonietta, Endymion Ensemble and Hebrides Ensemble.
Alumni News
Jocelyn Lightfoot
In August 2010 Jocelyn was appointed solo horn of the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Norway on a one year contract. In recent years Opera has been a large part of her career as principal of both the Garsington and Wexford Opera Orchestras.
This year Wexford had another first (last year was the European premier of the The Ghosts of Versailles by John Corigliano) with the European premier of The Golden Ticket by Peter Ash (also a horn player) based on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the new year Jocelyn is looking forward to playing Ein Heldenleben (a hero's life) with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra whilst braving the Norwegian winter!
Emma Hawkins
Emma Hawkins is a Senior Assistant Artist Manager at IMG Artists.
Lisa Cooper
Lisa Maria Cooper is currently Principal Horn of the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Denmark. The Orchestra recently appeared on BBC4 (25.5.12) as part of a Delius documentary: Composer, lover, enigma. After 5 years as third horn with Essener Philharmoniker and 9 years working under contract in Germany with Orchestras including Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Principal horn Nürnberger Symphoniker, and guest 3rd horn Bayerische Staatsoper Lisa took up her new position in Denmark.
Solo performances in 2012-13 include Britten Serenade with tenor Jeremy Ovenden in Aarhus 7/8 March 2013 and Ludwigshafen, Germany 8/9 April.
Michael Kidd
Since graduating from the Academy Michael has begun a busy freelance career in London. He has performed with London Brass and London Sinfonietta at the BBC Proms and as the horn soloist in Britten’s third canticle ‘Still Falls the Rain’ alongside John Mark Ainsley and Roger Vignoles in a concert celebrating the life of Peter Pears. Michael also worked with composer Heinz Holliger towards a performance of his solo horn work “Fury-Dream” at Kings Place.
Michael has performed with orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, English National Opera, Philharmonia Orchestra, and BBC Symphony Orchestra as well as performing as guest principal with the London Chamber Orchestra and the RTE National Symphony Orchestra.
In addition Michael has also performed on film scores for composers such as Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestre, and Harry Gregson-Williams, and has performed throughout Europe with Peter Gabriel’sNew Blood Orchestra as well as on the BBC television programme “Later with Jools Holland”. He also toured Britain as part of the band for the Dr Who Live tour.
Michael is looking forward to future engagements with London Winds and the Nash Ensemble.
James Palmer
James Palmer is currently Principal Horn of the Irish Chamber Orchestra but still lives in London where he freelances in the west end on shows including 'Wicked' and 'Phantom of the Opera.' He performs regularly with the Birmingham Royal Ballet Orchestra and English National Ballet orchestra and has just completed a tour with the Heritage Orchestra supporting the comedian Tim Minchin.
Corinne Bailey
Corinne Bailey is Co-Principal horn of ENO. Corinne had a busy and varied freelance career when she left the RAM , before joining the orchestra of the Birmingham Royal Ballet as 3rd horn. She was soon promoted to Principal horn , a position she held for five years before beginning her current job with ENO.
Lisa Donati
Lisa Donati has returned to her native Canada and is married to the horn player Michael Rosenberger. Together they form Duo Sogni and have performed in Italy, North America and the UK. Lisa is freelancing in the Toronto and Niagara areas and is the wind and brass coach for the Niagara Youth Orchestra as well as being part of the Artist Diploma Program at the Royal Conservatory's Glenn Gould School.
Francesca Moore-Bridger
Francesca Moore-Bridger has returned from Chile, where she was Principal Horn with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago. She has been playing with Welsh National Opera and is busy with The Pirani Trio. These three Academy Alumni have just recorded their first CD and are taking part in the King's Place Chamber Studio and well as being musicians in residence at the Festival des Arts de Parisot in France.
For more information visit www.thepiranitrio.com.
Estefania Beceiro-Vazquez
Estefania Beceiro-Vazquez has been appointed Third Horn with the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra.
Grzegorz Curlya
Gzregorz Curlya has been playing with the BBC Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, RTE National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. In 2012 he will perform Mozart's 4th concerto with the Kielce Philharmonic Orchestra in Poland.
Tim Anderson, Sam Jacobs and Mark Wood
Tim Anderson, Sam Jacobs and Mark Wood were on tour recently with Sting.
Here they are in one of the USA shows demonstrating their dance moves.
They also toured extensively with the RPCO performing Star Wars in Europe and the USA. In addition they have been working with the Philharmonia, RPO, BBC NOW and London Sinfonietta.
Mark Wood, Sam Jacobs and Tim Jones are three of the five. A bottle of champagne or valve oil as a prize if you can identify them.
Sam Jacobs has been playing guest Principal with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. The horn section are pictured here in Dunedin Town Hall NZ.
Etienne Cutajar
Etienne Cutajar is currently third horn in the BBC SSO. He has also been playing first horn with the Bournemouth SO. He recently performed Strauss second concerto with the Orchestra-Atelier Ostinato and also recorded Bach’s first Brandenburg concerto with Trevor Pinnock and his European Brandenburg Ensemble.
Tiffany Stirling
Tiffany Stirling has been appointed Third Horn with Scottish Ballet.
CONGRATULATIONS TO SUZIE AND JASON
Suzie Koczur, nee Walker, (Post-grad 1997-1999) and Jason Koczur (Post-grad 1998-2000) were married in Norwich in January 2009 and now live in London. They are now the proud parents of Leo William Koczur, born 13 September 2010. Jason and Suzie performed several duo recitals in Norfolk last year titled The Horn Through Time. They are members of the new horn quartet COR! with Ian Stott and Kate Goldsmith. They are both actively free-lancing around London. Jason's recent work with the LSO has included the BBC Proms, Aix-en-Provence Festival and various recordings including the new Harry Potter soundtrack. Suzie has worked with the Brandenburg Sinfonia and English Symphony Orchestra among others. She also teaches instrumental and class music in southwest London.
Richard and Alex Carr
Alex Stroud, nee Carr, has been appointed second horn with English National Ballet and continues to be a busy freelance player and a regular guest in Phantom of the Opera.
Richard Stroud's work includes: Birmingham Royal Ballet, Ulster Orchestra, RPO and BBC CO.
They were married in 2007 and are pictured here playing with the Brighton Philharmonic.