David Whitson

Trombone Tutor

On graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, David worked with every orchestra in London and made recordings for numerous artists including Nigel Kennedy, Placido Domingo, Sir Cliff Richard and many others. West End work has included performing in shows such as My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Miss Saigon & many others. Film work has included appearing in the Mike Leigh film 'Topsy Turvy' and playing on the soundtrack, recording for movies and television(one of his favourites was playing on Wallace & Gromit's 'A Matter of Loaf and Death').

As well as a career as a freelance trombonist he has also been Principal Trombone at English National Opera and a member of the English Brass Ensemble. This brass quintet promoted valuable repertoire for this medium through contemporary music festivals and radio broadcasts for BBC radio as well as throughout Europe.

David has travelled and performed in over 47 different countries including working for the British Council in far away countries in Africa and Asia. Along with the varied career listed above David had a concerto written for him by the composer David Gow which he recorded for Radio 3 with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

When not performing his time is taken up with teaching and coaching, specifically at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music, University of Surrey, Charterhouse School, Trinity School in Croydon, Lancing College, Epsom College, Reigate Grammar School and working for The National Children's Orchestra of Gt. Britain, Centre for Young Musicians, Thames Youth Orchestra and European Youth Summer Music course(EYSM).

The education of young musicians has long been a passion of David’s work, combining workshops and masterclasses with in-depth narratives on brass playing.

From starting a brass department at a prep school in Surrey whilst studying as a student at the RAM to leading brass education workshops for teachers to further improve their technical teaching techniques for all ages, there has always been a clear agenda of promoting brass playing instruction.