2024 Course Tutors
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Ciaran McCabe – First Violin Tutor
TBC – Second Violin Tutor
David Aspin – Viola Tutor
Kate Gould - Cello Tutor
Aura Stone - Double Bass Tutor
Meyrick Alexander – Woodwind Tutor
Jonathan Luxton - Horn Tutor
Originally from Dorset, England, Jonathan studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Professor James Brown. During this time, he played Principal French Horn with the European Youth Orchestra under the direction of Claudio Abbado and Daniel Barenboim. Before leaving the UK, professional experience included playing with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Opera North, Orchestra of the Royal Ballet, Cambridge Opera Group, and recording with the BBC.
At the age of 24 Jonathan accepted the position of Principal French Horn in the Gulbenkian Orchestra, Lisbon, Portugal. For 31 years, he played a vast repertoire of music and genres, travelled the world with the orchestra, and had the opportunity to work with leading soloists and conductors.
Jonathan started to teach brass in the UK, and went on to teach French horn in Portugal. He was the first French horn professor at university-level in Portugal, where he introduced the British method of French horn playing, and developed the Bachelor and Masters degree programmes.
Jonathan is now a freelance player in Ireland and the UK, and continues to teach and direct musical projects.
TBC – Brass Tutor
Jonathan Herbert – Percussion Tutor
Jonathan won a junior exhibition to study timpani and percussion at the Royal College of Music in London and then at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He has performed with virtually every symphony orchestras in the UK and in 1992 joined the percussion section of the Halle Orchestra. In 2001 he was appointed Principal Percussion and Principal Timpani with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra.
Since 2005 Jonathan has been invited to play with the World Orchestra for Peace under the direction of Valery Gergiev performing at the BBC proms and in some of the world’s greatest concert halls including the Philharmonie Berlin, Carnegie Hall New York, Symphony Hall Chicago, Tchaikovsky Hall Moscow and the Salzburg Festspielhaus .
Jonathan is a member of the teaching staff at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Royal Irish Academy of Music. He has previously held teaching posts at the Liverpool, Manchester and Salford Universities. Jonathan has been the featured guest artist at the RNCM day of percussion.