Contributors

Brett Baker

“The name Brett Baker has become an established, household name in the world of brass, not least for the level of commitment and focus that this outstanding musician has given to his craft.” Professor David King

Englishman Brett Baker (B. 1973) is viewed internationally as a leading brass performer and educator. He is passionate about encouraging composers to write pioneering new repertoire being one of the most recorded brass soloist’s in his chosen genre. Brett is Programme Leader for Musical Arts at the University of Salford (Manchester) and an ambassador for Michael Rath Brass Instruments. He is Course Director of Bolsover Summer School as well as Singapore and Thailand Low Brass Festivals. He is a past-Principal Trombone of Black Dyke Band and past-President of the British Trombone Society.

Originally from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, Brett moved to study at Salford University, simultaneously joining the Fairey Band, conducted by Major Peter Parkes having many contest successes including an historic treble in 1993/4. He studied performance with Professor David King, whilst also studying Business Economics.

In 2000 he was invited to join the Black Dyke Band by Professor Nicholas Childs, achieving enviable contest successes. Now as well as a performance schedule of 60 concerts a year, Brett enjoys presenting workshops, specialising in solo performance and band training. His research includes trombone solo repertoire, trombone instrument design through modular assembly and the psychology of performance. Brett has produced 30 solo albums, 8 under his own label of White River Evocations, which produces and distributes CDs. He has performed as guest soloist on a further 46 CDs. He has produced three sheet music trombone solo albums and many arrangements for trombone and piano. He regularly tours in the USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand as a soloist.

As a consultant Brett has worked with Michael Rath Musical Instruments for 10 years on instrument design and has assisted in production of a signature mouthpiece.

As a conductor Brett has many associations with bands in the North of England, and has achieved contest successes with Northop, Ratby and Longridge bands. He has been guest conductor with the University of Salford Brass and Wind Bands, the brass band at the Royal Northern College of Music, Thorsby Colliery, Carlton Maine Frickley Colliery and the Leyland Band. In 2014 Brett conducted Tongwylais Temperance at the National Finals of Great Britain in the Royal Albert Hall.

As an adjudicator Brett has judged the International Trombone Association in the USA and the National Solo Championships in Switzerland, many Association contests, the National Finals in the Netherlands, New Zealand and Australia, and most of the Area Qualifiers for the National Championships of Great Britain.