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, I had invested in a set of specially-designed tuning slide pliers in order to free the 4th valve slide on my Scherzer piccolo which had ceased. They were definitely worth the investment.

The small orchestra was led by violinist Hilaryjane Parker and featured Richard Simpson (oboe) and Russell Gilmour (trumpet) in the wind and brass sections. I have written before about the influence that the 1994 Last Night of the Proms had on me when I was young (both here and after I played in my first BBC Prom in 2016) and so it was great to play alongside Richard Simpson, who had played the oboe solo (accompanied by harps) entitled ‘Home, Sweet Home’ from Sir Henry Wood’s ‘Fantasia on British Sea Songs’.

The candlelit performance featured Vivaldi’s ‘Magnificat’ [RV 610], Bach’s ‘Komm Jesu Komm’ [BWV 229], Monteverdi’s ‘Beatus vir’ [SV 268], Pergolesi’s ‘Magnificat’ and Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ [RV 589], with excellent solos, duets and choral singing from St. Martins Voices.