Players

Chris Avison (Trumpet)

Chris is currently undertaking a Master of Arts post-graduate degree at The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London after graduating from The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in Cardiff with a Bachelor of Music honours degree.

At RWCMD he performed in every major ensemble at college and had performed in master classes with Canadian Brass, Onyx Brass, James Watson, Crispian Steele-Perkins and Paul Archibald.

He started lessons with his Mum on the cornet when he was 4. He now studies under James Watson, Rod Franks, Mark David and Robert Farley, having previously studied with Philippe Schartz, Paul Archibald and Daniel Newell.

Since being at RAM, Chris has played in a master class with the world famous trumpeter Eric Aubier and has been awarded the Highly Commended prize in the Sidney Langston Prize.

He has performed at venues such as The Royal Albert Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Symphony Hall, St Davids Hall, The Colston Hall and St Georges in Bristol.

On completion of his studies he hopes to pursue a career as a professional player and has already performed with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Welsh National Opera.

www.chrisavison.co.uk

Adrian Williams (Trumpet)

Adrian started on his musical career at the age of eight. It was at this time that he started playing the cornet under the guidance of Mike Thorne.

Shortly afterwards Adrian became a member of the Llanelli Town Youth Band, and later a member of the Llanelli Town Band. Adrian went on to become principal cornet of the band but at the age of seventeen moved on to play for the Burry Port Town Band.

It is thanks to the band that he has performed at many prestigious venues including the Royal Albert Hall and The Brangwyn Hall.

At the age of fifteen, Adrian started to play the trumpet. This led to him becoming a member of the orchestra, symphonic brass, wind band, big band and brass band at both Three Counties and National levels.

He now studies the trumpet at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with Philippe Schartz.

Simon Lewis (French Horn)

Simon is currently in his third year of studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where he receives regular tuition from Angus West, and also studies with Tim Jackson in London. He receives natural Horn tuition from Tony Halstead. He has participated in master classes by Richard Watkins, Hugh Seenan, Paul Basler, Froydis Ree Werke, Anthony Randall and Richard King.

Simon has been a member of many youth ensembles, including the Dyfed (Three Counties) Youth Orchestra and Wind Band and also the National Youth and Wind Orchestras of Wales, and has performed as a soloist with the Pembrokeshire ensembles on many occasions.

During his time at RWCMD Simon has played with many ensembles, including the Millennium Ensemble (performing contemporary works), Opera Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra and has performed as Principal in each.

Since moving to Cardiff, Simon has worked with a number of ensembles, ranging from amateur to professional, including Sinfonia Cymru in the senior finals of the Menuhin Competition. He has played with the Welsh Sinfonia and the Chamber Orchestra of Wales on a number of occasions. Simon has also performed solo recitals at various locations around the U.K and has solo Concerto performances in the pipe line.

Colin Barrett (Trombone)

Colin started playing the cornet at the age of eight with the St Dennis Band in Cornwall where he grew up. He later moved to the trombone at the age of fifteen, becoming principal with the St Dennis Band and the Cornwall Youth Brass Band.

Colin spent six years as principal trombone with Bodmin Town Band in the most successful period in the history of the band, playing under many of the country’s top brass band conductors.

After fourteen years working in the civil service, Colin, left his job in 2005 to take up a place at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama to study for a degree in music performance. Here he studied tenor and alto trombone with Kevin Price and piano with Evandra Estevez.

Whilst at college Colin performed in the college Symphony Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Brass Ensemble, Opera, Millennium Ensemble and Trombone Quartet as well as the London Gala Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru and other orchestra’s and ensembles in and around Cardiff.

Since graduating in July 2009 Colin married his college sweetheart, has taken up surfing and is expecting his first child. He now works full-time for Pembrokeshire Music Service whilst still enjoying the playing and camaraderie with Bute Brass.

Rob Graham-White (Tuba)

Robs musical career began when he took up the trumpet at the age of nine. Discovering that the trumpet was not for him, his brass instruments grew as he did, eventually settling on the tuba.

He is a member of many ensembles including the Greater Gwent Youth Brass Band, the National Youth Brass Band of Wales, the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and in 2007 represented Wales in the European Youth Brass Band.

Rob studies tuba at the RWCMD with Sean O’Neill and has participated in masterclasses with Onyx Brass, Fine Arts Brass, Oren Marshall and David Gordon-Shute. In 2009 he was awarded the Welsh National Opera Brass Placement Scheme.

Robs ambition is to become an orchestral musician and has enjoyed practicing and performing with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales in Collaboration with The BBC National Orchestra of Wales as well as the County Youth Orchestras.

Membership of so many varied ensembles has enabled him to travel all over the world to countries including Italy, America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Tom Davoren (Composer)

Tom originally hails from the picturesque Gower peninsula in South Wales and is currently reading Music at Cardiff University.

A former student of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Tom studied tuba with Nigel Seaman and has performed in master classes with Canadian Brass, Onyx Brass, Oren Marshall and James Anderson.

During his time at RWCMD Tom performed with every major ensemble, was featured as a soloist with the college Wind Orchestra and for the 2006 Malcolm Arnold Celebrations and was awarded much sought after places on the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera brass placement schemes.