JAMES SYMINGTON

​

James Symington has an excellent reputation as an all-round trumpet player specialising in jazz and commercial playing. He has played with musicians such as Pete Letanka, Natalie Williams, Jeremy Walker (NYMT) and Ray Simmons.



As a student, James was accepted into Junior Trinity College of Music where he studied trumpet with Andy Hendrie (BBC Philharmonic Orchestra) and worked with the likes of Mick Foster, Barry Graham, Andrew Morley and Oren Marshall.



Whilst at Junior Trinity, James was awarded the Philip Jones brass prize for the best brass performer in 2010 as well as the Chappell Composition prize for the best young composer. He was principal trumpet in the Junior Trinity Symphony Orchestra and played in many prestigious venues including Cadogan Hall, Goldsmiths College and Blackheath Halls, and took part in tours to Belgium and the Isle of Wight. Another highlight from this time at Junior Trinity was that he was a featured soloist in the Junior Trinity Big Band, with whom he opened a concert at the Royal Festival Hall (South Bank).



In his last year at school, James was appointed as an Aldeburgh Young Musician. A scheme set up to support only exceptionally talented young people who have the potential to be the best. This scheme enabled him to take part in an experience complementary to that of the Junior Conservatoire and which gave him the opportunity to develop his creative musicianship with other talented and like-minded young musicians in many different genres of music.



Both in 2010 and 2011 James held the position of principal trumpet with the National Youth Music Theatre in their production of Sweeney Todd, he also played with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.



Since then James has been studyed at Cardiff University and was awareded a degree in Music BMus (Hons).During his time in Cardiff, James set up and led a professional 10-piece function band called 'Giles Room Jazz' based in South Wales, the band now had a full and up-to-date repertoire, as James arranged and recomposed all the music that the band played.



Recently James has been able to develop his trumpet playing further by studying with Mike Lovatt (John Wilson Orchestra), Gethin Liddington, David Childs, Pete Long and Martin McHale (WNO).



In his final year, James was chosen to lead the Cardiff University Big Band. As their Musical Director, James took the Big Band to the BBC Hoddinott Hall in the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay and took a trip to the Great Northern Big Band Festival in March where the brass won the award for best section. 

​