After an 'interval' of 172 days since my last concert (at York Minster in March), it was a great pleasure and huge relief to play live music with the Brandenburg Sinfonia for their Last Night of the Proms-inspired outdoor performance in the grounds of Hever Castle in Kent on Sunday 30th August 2020. View this post on Instagram First actual gig in 172 days! A post shared by Russell

While my B-flat trumpet lay dormant in the trumpet cupboard at home, its sound could be heard on BBC Radio 4's Easter Sunday service which aired on Sunday 12th April 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic has prevented any equivalent services from taking place this year. Andrew Earis (Director of Music at St. Martin-in-the-Fields) produced a BBC radio programme which featured some of the music from the 2013 service

It is always great to perform at one of the most famous churches in London, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, on the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square.On this occasion, Thursday 13th February 2020, I played Vivaldi’s Gloria [RV 589] on the piccolo trumpet with the Brandenburg Sinfonia under the direction of Andrew Earis (Director of Music at St. Martin-in-the-Fields).In preparation for this performance,

Bob Porter conducted Handel's Messiah in a candlelit St. Martin-in-the-Fields on Monday 30th December 2019 at 18:30. The concert was part of the Brandenburg Choral Festival of London and it featured the Brandenburg Sinfonia and Brandenburg Festival Chorus. I played second trumpet, Paul Archibald played first trumpet and Tristan Fry played timpani.Ours was the first of two concerts this evening. The

I performed a programme of baroque music (on modern instruments) with the Brandenburg Sinfonia at St. Martin-in-the-Fields on Saturday 1st June 2019. I played third trumpet in the section with (fellow Manx man) Sam Kinrade and Ellie Lovegrove on 1st and 2nd, respectively. The programme began with Handel’s Dettingen Te Deum [HWV 283] and continued after the interval with Bach’s Orchestral Suite

I performed Bach’s B Minor Mass [BWV 232] with the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists and the Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir on Wednesday 17th April 2019. The performance was directed by Ralph Allwood MBE (who I had remembered from a previous Brandenburg Baroque Soloists performance at Wellington College in August 2017).The Old Royal Naval College Chapel is a magnificent building -

I played first trumpet in Bach's B Minor Mass with the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists on Saturday 17th March 2018. The performance, featuring The Windsor and Eton Choral Society and soloists: Gemma Summerfield (soprano), Tim Travers-Brown (countertenor), Tom Raskin (tenor) and Alex Ashworth (baritone) took place in the School Hall at Eton College.Founded in 1837, the Windsor and Eton Choral Society is

I performed Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists at St. Martin-in-the-Fields on Thursday 28th of September 2017. The first half of the concert featured Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, led by violinist Persephone Gibbs. In the second half of the concert Jeremy Jackman conducted the English Baroque Choir and Brandenburg Baroque Soloists in Vivaldi’s Gloria. The soloists were Natasha Day

On Monday 21st of August 2017, I played first trumpet with the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists for a workshopped performance of Bach’s Magnificat in D Major (BWV 243). The performance was the culmination of a residential choral course for young singers at the stunning venue of Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshire and the group was directed by Ralph Allwood MBE.The choir took on the momentous

I performed with the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists at Eton College on Thursday 15th of June 2017 at 8:45pm. The performance of Handel’s 'Coronation Anthems' took place in the magnificent Chapel of Eton College.The chorus was directed by Matthew O'Donovan, who brilliantly directed the 14-piece period-instrument orchestra, led by violinist Walter Reiter.I first met Walter Reiter at Dartington International

I performed with The Brandenburg Classical Players at Eton College on Tuesday 21st March 2017 at 8:15pm. The performance of Haydn's Creation took place in the magnificent School Hall of Eton College.The chorus was formed of the Eton College Musical Society, The Taplow Youth Choir and Wycombe Abbey School. Ed Yeo conducted the combined choirs and The Brandenburg Classical Players - all were on good

Performing at St. Martin-in-the-Fields is always a privilege. The site on the North-East corner of London's iconic Trafalgar Square has a fascinating history dating back to Roman times (c.410 AD). A magnificent example of Neoclassical architecture, the current building was designed by architect James Gibbs and construction was completed in 1726.Concerts at St. Martin-in-the-Fields tend to attract sizeable

On Saturday the 28th of January 2017, I performed Bach’s Magnificat [BWV 243] and the Cantata: Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis [BWV 21] at St. Martin-in-the-Fields as part of the Brandenburg Choral Festival of London.Bach's Magnificat is, of course, very well-known and it pairs excellently with BWV 21. I played a very similar programme (although it was the E-flat Magnificat) at the Leipzig BachFest

I performed Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ with the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists at St. Martin-in-the-fields at 1900 on Thursday 15th of September 2016. The first half of the concert explored instrumental works by J.S. Bach. The Violin Concerto in E major (BWV 1042) and the 'Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G major' (BWV1048) were finely-played and led by violinist, Persephone Gibbs.Oboist, Tony Robson and natural

St. Martin-in-the-Fields was the venue for a candlelit concert on Saturday 28th of May 2016. The Brandenburg Sinfonia performed music by Mozart and Haydn with the professional choir of St. Martin’s Voices, led by St. Martin-in-the-Fields’ Director of Music, Andrew Earis. On this occasion, the orchestra played on modern instruments and I played in a section with Paul Archibald. The concert began

I participated in a performance of Bach's B Minor Mass at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London. The performance was on modern instruments, so I played on the piccolo trumpet - as is the convention with modern trumpet players. These days, the majority of my work is on period instruments so it is very rare for me to play Baroque music on modern instruments. I did miss the rich sounds of the natural trumpets

I played first trumpet in Handel's Coronation Anthems in St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London. The section consisted of Russell Gilmour, William Russell & Gareth Hoddinott.The Joyful Company of Singers and the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists were conducted by Peter Broadbent in this candlelit concert on Thursday 7th of April, as part of the Brandenburg Choral Festival 2016 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields.The

I was involved in a performance of Monteverdi’s Vespers in the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, just off Trafalgar Square in London. The performance took place at 8pm on Saturday 30th January 2016 and it was given by the choir of Royal Holloway, University of London - directed by Rupert Gough. The orchestra was provided by Bob Porter and was called the ‘Brandenburg Baroque Soloists’. It consisted

I participated in a performance of Handel’s oratorio 'Israel in Egypt’ with Twickenham Choral Society at All Saints Church in Kingston-upon-Thames. Christopher Herrick directed the choir and the Brandenburg Baroque Sinfonia. I played second trumpet to Neil Brough. The rehearsal was very well organised and it ran exactly to the timings that the director had planned - starting with full forces and

Bach's B Minor Mass was performed by candlelight at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London on Thursday 9th April 2015. The concert was part of the Brandenburg Choral Festival 2015. Rufus Frowde conducted the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists who accompanied vocalists: Nika Goric (Soprano), Charlotte Schoeters (Soprano), Laura Zigmantaite (Ato), William Blake (Tenor), Nicholas Mogg (Bass) and the Vivamus Chorus.I