Jon Cooley

I'm a very experienced amateur horn player with a lot of playing miles on the clock. Strong interest in late romantic and early 20th century orchestral music and opera, but also chamber music when possible. I play in quite a number of mainly London-based ensembles, plus a couple of more national orchestras – Rehearsal Orchestra and Easter Orchestral Society. I’m principal horn of Harmony Sinfonia – Lewisham’s finest orchestra, Fulham Opera, and New Palace Opera, where my passion for Wagner, Strauss and Zemlinsky is indulged. I have been playing as principal horn with Saffron Walden Opera for the past four years - Meistersinger, Parsifal and the Ring, plus Stravinsky's Rakes Progress. I have also given the premiere of Siegfried’s horn call on all three of the UKs highest peaks in 27 hours in 2014, much to the annoyance of other climbers, and in 2016 performed a medley of horn tunes at and on the way to Everest base camp as a lung-busting exercise. Video at Gokyo Ri just short of 18,000 feet is attached. Is this the best view in the world? I've recently retired from full-time NHS employment to spend more time with my horn, so am now more accessible for gigs. As I play as part of an orchestra I cant post any individual reviews. however, a number of reviews of concerts in which I've been the principal horn are posted.