Kenneth Brown

I don’t remember a time when music was not a part of my life. I started attending the LSO Family Concerts at the age of three and almost immediately was attracted to the trumpet and began playing cornet as soon as I was considered old enough. Since then I progressed through the ABRSM Grades, passing Grade VIII in Spring 2008. Alongside trumpet I also play piano to Grade VI. Throughout my school life I took whatever opportunities arose to perform, involving myself in school orchestras, choirs, jazz groups and theatre productions. Outside school I attended the local music centre orchestras, wind, brass and swing bands as well as playing in Bucks County Youth Orchestra. I also played regularly with professional musicians at church services, often involving minimal rehearsal and sight transposition and maintain this link by returning to play for special events such as Christmas services. As a ‘Senior Performing Arts Representative’ at school I had opportunities to organise and support a wide range of performance events taking responsibility for technical organisation of the Annual Production as well as for Open Evenings, Bands Nights and many other events. I also frequently performed at these occasions. I was also involved in organisation and backstage crew for ‘Shed@thePark’, an all ability youth theatre group, and a local Amateur Music Theatre Society. Whilst at university I took as many opportunities for playing as became available, including the LCM Big Band and Orchestra (with period as orchestral librarian), and various other small ensembles such as brass quintets and small jazz groups. Outside university I played in a range of musical settings and ensembles, performing with a ska band, a Brazilian band, theatre companies and semi-professional orchestras. In addition to my performance studies at university I was able to develop other aspects of musicianship by taking modules on orchestration and arranging, music in the 20th Century and more extensive music history. In particular the music in education module useful in that it gave me actual experience of teaching class music lessons. I maintain an awareness of the current musical world by attending a wide variety performances and events ranging from the Wailers through Guys and Dolls at the Savoy to the Philharmonia Orchestra playing Mahler’s 3rd Symphony at the Royal Festival Hall.