Stephen began learning the cornet aged 6 at home with his parents who are both brass players and teachers. He also has a brother, Carlton, who plays the tuba. Stephen is now studying for his GCSEs and hopes to study trombone at music college. Stephen was a member of the National Children's Orchestra and is now in the National Youth Orchestra. He would like to become a trombone soloist and orchestral player. Stephen also enjoys cricket, golf, football, motor sports, trains, computer-aided design and classic cars.
Alexander began playing the piano aged 5 and took up the French horn aged 7 after hearing his parents perform in a Blackpool Symphony Orchestra performance of a Mozart Horn Concerto. He is now studying for his Dip ABRSM at Chetham's School of Music and hopes to go to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He plays with the National Youth Orchestra and would ultimately like to be a professional player, teacher and composer. He also enjoys football and water polo, and books by Roald Dahl and J K Rowling.
Ryan began playing the cornet aged 9 years as he wanted to join the school band and play with his friends. He is now studying for his AS levels in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Music at the Methodist College Belfast, and is a member of the Ulster Youth Jazz Orchestra and National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. Ryan would like to play for one of the top brass bands and to attend university. He also likes socialising with his friends, watching TV and going to the gym.
Sasha began playing the tuba at junior school and was very excited by the prospect of playing an instrument that could make so much noise! He also plays bass guitar, jazz piano and drum kit, and hopes to go to the Royal Northern College of Music or the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to continue his tuba studies. Sasha is a member of the National Youth Brass Band and would ultimately like to be a professional tuba player. He also enjoys playing rugby and basketball in his school teams, and badminton and squash to keep fit.
Huw began learning piano aged 5 and a year later took up the trumpet after hearing the Welsh Brass Trio perform at his Primary school. He also studied violin to Grade 6 and continues to study piano and trumpet at Chetham's School of Music where he is Head Boy. Huw is also principal trumpet of the National Youth Orchestra and hopes to go to Oxford University or the Royal Academy of Music and become a renowned soloist. Huw is also a keen sportsman and computer enthusiast and enjoys reading politics and current affairs. He is also a fan of all things Welsh.
Paul studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London and on graduating he was appointed Co-Principal Trumpet in the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. In 1980 he relinquished this position to concentrate on work with his group, the English Brass Ensemble, and to perform as a member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and the London Sinfonietta. His love of contemporary music led to the English Brass Ensemble commissioning and premiering many new works from leading composers such as Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Gunther Schuller, Witold Lutoslawki and Elliott Carter.
He has performed the solo repertoire with many of Britain’s finest orchestras. His discography includes the Trumpet Concertos by Haydn and Hummel, Carnival of Venice arranged by Malcolm Smith and Handel’s Concerto Grosso No 10. Paul is now actively involved in almost every aspect of musical performance: chamber music with the English Brass Ensemble and the Fibonacci Sequence: orchestral music as a member of OSJ, Britten Sinfonia and the London Mozart Players: solo repertoire, performing in recitals with pianist Kathron Sturrock and the virtuoso percussionist Simon Limbrick: education projects with Ben Hoffnung and Scott Bywater: teaching, as a Professor at the Royal Academy and the Royal College of Music. Paul is also compiling two new series of brass music for Brass Wind Publications. In 2003 Paul was given the honorary award of Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music.
Richard Watkins was Principal Horn of the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1985 until 1996, and is currently a member of the Nash Ensemble and a founder member of London Winds. Richard Watkins has appeared at many of the world’s most prestigious venues in the UK, Europe and the USA, and has worked with conductors such as Giulini, Sawallisch, Salonen, Slatkin, Sinopoli, Rozhdestvensky, Andrew Davis and Mark Elder. His extensive discography includes recordings of the Horn Concertos by Mozart (IMP), Malcolm Arnold (Conifer), Glière and Ethel Smyth (Chandos), as well as Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante (DG) and Poulenc’s Chamber Music for Horn (Hyperion). In recital, Richard Watkins regularly performs at the Wigmore Hall with singers such as John Mark Ainsley, Ian Bostridge and Mark Padmore, and with pianists Julius Drake, Roger Vignoles and Ian Brown. He has given premieres of concertos by Maxwell Davies, Osborne, Lindberg, Muldowney, Lefanu, and Colin and David Matthews. A recording of Colin Matthews’ concerto with the Hallé Orchestra and Mark Elder is due for release later this year. Future commissions will include works for solo horn by Nicholas Maw and James MacMillan. In addition, he has performed numerous premieres of chamber works by leading composers, primarily with the Nash Ensemble. He holds the Dennis Brain Chair of Horn Playing at the Royal Academy of Music where he also a Fellow. He is in great demand for masterclasses both in the UK and abroad.
In the spring of 2001 Ewan took up his new appointment as principal tuba with the Hallé, based in Manchester. Prior to this he had held the same position with the Ulster Orchestra for 18 years. Ewan was brought up through the Brass Band structure, eventually playing for Brighouse and Rastrick brass band.
At the same time he developed a passion for orchestral playing when he joined the NYO and ECYO orchestras.
After studying at the RNCM he was invited to take up his first professional position in Belfast. While working for the Ulster Orchestra he was given the opportunity to record most of the major tuba repertoire for the BBC. This included the British recording premiere of John Williams’s Tuba Concerto.
While in Northern Ireland Ewan developed a passion for working with young people. This included performing and working with more than 50,000 students around the province. Ewan has taught at The Queen’s University, Ulster University and is now on the staff at the RNCM, Manchester University as well as Salford University.
Ewan is married to Sue who, lucky for him, is as passionate about music-making as he is; they have three daughters. He is also a keen motorcyclist.
Elizabeth Burley won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music with John Barstow and Ruth Dyson. Further scholarships from the Myra Hess and Countess of Munster Trusts enabled her to study later with Paul Hamburger. She now enjoys a busy and varied career in several different roles - chamber musician, orchestral player, soloist and accompanist. She has given concerts throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan and North America with many leading soloists including Håkan Hardenberger, Michael Collins, Isabelle van Keulen, Robert Cohen and Philippe Graffin. She has appeared with the Nash Ensemble, London Sinfonietta, Britten Sinfonia, Endymion Ensemble, the Nyman Band and London Saxophonic and for several years was a member of the Lowbury Piano Trio who were prizewinners in the 1st Osaka Chamber Music Competition. She has broadcast regularly on BBC Radio and Television, and was official accompanist of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition and associated masterclass series from 1982 to 1992. She has made numerous chamber music recordings, most recently a disc of piano duets with Kathryn Stott. As an orchestral pianist Elizabeth has performed in concerts, tours and recordings with many major orchestras, including the Royal Scottish National, City of Birmingham Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, London Symphony and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In her work with the BBC SO she has collaborated with many of the 20th century's leading composers, including Boulez, Berio, Knussen, Adès, Adams and Maxwell Davies. In the 2004 Proms season she made her debut as a solo artist in a performance of Colin McPhee's Tabuh-tabuhan with the BBC SO. Future engagements include a European tour with the Philharmonia Orchestra, concerts in the Middle East with cellist Timothy Hugh and recitals in Europe with violinist Philippe Graffin.
Stephen began learning the cornet aged 6 at home with his parents who are both brass players and teachers. He also has a brother, Carlton, who plays the tuba. Stephen is now studying for his GCSEs and hopes to study trombone at music college. Stephen was a member of the National Children's Orchestra and is now in the National Youth Orchestra. He would like to become a trombone soloist and orchestral player. Stephen also enjoys cricket, golf, football, motor sports, trains, computer-aided design and classic cars. 
Ryan began playing the cornet aged 9 years as he wanted to join the school band and play with his friends. He is now studying for his AS levels in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Music at the Methodist College Belfast, and is a member of the Ulster Youth Jazz Orchestra and National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. Ryan would like to play for one of the top brass bands and to attend university. He also likes socialising with his friends, watching TV and going to the gym.
Sasha began playing the tuba at junior school and was very excited by the prospect of playing an instrument that could make so much noise! He also plays bass guitar, jazz piano and drum kit, and hopes to go to the Royal Northern College of Music or the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to continue his tuba studies. Sasha is a member of the National Youth Brass Band and would ultimately like to be a professional tuba player. He also enjoys playing rugby and basketball in his school teams, and badminton and squash to keep fit.
Huw began learning piano aged 5 and a year later took up the trumpet after hearing the Welsh Brass Trio perform at his Primary school. He also studied violin to Grade 6 and continues to study piano and trumpet at Chetham's School of Music where he is Head Boy. Huw is also principal trumpet of the National Youth Orchestra and hopes to go to Oxford University or the Royal Academy of Music and become a renowned soloist. Huw is also a keen sportsman and computer enthusiast and enjoys reading politics and current affairs. He is also a fan of all things Welsh. 
Paul studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London and on graduating he was appointed Co-Principal Trumpet in the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. In 1980 he relinquished this position to concentrate on work with his group, the English Brass Ensemble, and to perform as a member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and the London Sinfonietta. His love of contemporary music led to the English Brass Ensemble commissioning and premiering many new works from leading composers such as Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Gunther Schuller, Witold Lutoslawki and Elliott Carter.
Richard Watkins was Principal Horn of the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1985 until 1996, and is currently a member of the Nash Ensemble and a founder member of London Winds. Richard Watkins has appeared at many of the world’s most prestigious venues in the UK, Europe and the USA, and has worked with conductors such as Giulini, Sawallisch, Salonen, Slatkin, Sinopoli, Rozhdestvensky, Andrew Davis and Mark Elder. His extensive discography includes recordings of the Horn Concertos by Mozart (IMP), Malcolm Arnold (Conifer), Glière and Ethel Smyth (Chandos), as well as Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante (DG) and Poulenc’s Chamber Music for Horn (Hyperion). In recital, Richard Watkins regularly performs at the Wigmore Hall with singers such as John Mark Ainsley, Ian Bostridge and Mark Padmore, and with pianists Julius Drake, Roger Vignoles and Ian Brown. He has given premieres of concertos by Maxwell Davies, Osborne, Lindberg, Muldowney, Lefanu, and Colin and David Matthews. A recording of Colin Matthews’ concerto with the Hallé Orchestra and Mark Elder is due for release later this year. Future commissions will include works for solo horn by Nicholas Maw and James MacMillan. In addition, he has performed numerous premieres of chamber works by leading composers, primarily with the Nash Ensemble. He holds the Dennis Brain Chair of Horn Playing at the Royal Academy of Music where he also a Fellow. He is in great demand for masterclasses both in the UK and abroad.
In the spring of 2001 Ewan took up his new appointment as principal tuba with the Hallé, based in Manchester. Prior to this he had held the same position with the Ulster Orchestra for 18 years. Ewan was brought up through the Brass Band structure, eventually playing for Brighouse and Rastrick brass band.
At the same time he developed a passion for orchestral playing when he joined the NYO and ECYO orchestras.
Elizabeth Burley won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music with John Barstow and Ruth Dyson. Further scholarships from the Myra Hess and Countess of Munster Trusts enabled her to study later with Paul Hamburger. She now enjoys a busy and varied career in several different roles - chamber musician, orchestral player, soloist and accompanist. She has given concerts throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan and North America with many leading soloists including Håkan Hardenberger, Michael Collins, Isabelle van Keulen, Robert Cohen and Philippe Graffin. She has appeared with the Nash Ensemble, London Sinfonietta, Britten Sinfonia, Endymion Ensemble, the Nyman Band and London Saxophonic and for several years was a member of the Lowbury Piano Trio who were prizewinners in the 1st Osaka Chamber Music Competition. She has broadcast regularly on BBC Radio and Television, and was official accompanist of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition and associated masterclass series from 1982 to 1992. She has made numerous chamber music recordings, most recently a disc of piano duets with Kathryn Stott. As an orchestral pianist Elizabeth has performed in concerts, tours and recordings with many major orchestras, including the Royal Scottish National, City of Birmingham Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, London Symphony and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In her work with the BBC SO she has collaborated with many of the 20th century's leading composers, including Boulez, Berio, Knussen, Adès, Adams and Maxwell Davies. In the 2004 Proms season she made her debut as a solo artist in a performance of Colin McPhee's Tabuh-tabuhan with the BBC SO. Future engagements include a European tour with the Philharmonia Orchestra, concerts in the Middle East with cellist Timothy Hugh and recitals in Europe with violinist Philippe Graffin.