Musical Director
Rob is a versatile musician with many strings to his bow. Principally a trumpet player, Rob has performed and recorded extensively with artists across the country spanning every genre from leading chamber choirs (such as Ex Cathedra) and West End stars (Rachel Tucker), to legendary folk artists (Fairport Convention) and even reggae groups (Bob Marley's Wailers). Over the last 15 years, Rob has appeared at most major UK festivals, including Glastonbury, Shrewsbury Folk, Latitude, WOMAD, Greenman, Boomtown, and Cropredy festival, to a crowd of 20,000+.
Career highlights include together with his band 'The Destroyers', composing and performing at the opening of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and in his capacity as an RAF reservist musician, marching in procession bands at the funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the coronation of Their Majesties King Charles & Queen Camilla.
As a passionate educator, Rob has workshopped and taught in schools across the country, and regularly tours and lectures with Royal Birmingham Conservatoire's mighty LEAP ensemble. At Repton School in Derbyshire he served as Head of Brass, and Teacher of Music & Music Technology over a nine year period, and has taught students from beginner to degree level, and celebrated the success of students being accepted into the National Childrens' Orchestra. He is currently a Visiting Teacher of Trumpet at Warwick School.
Rob has worked as an ensemble leader since 2009 with a variety of groups, including working as Musical Director of the Central England Concert Band, and The People's Orchestra, with whom he was fortunate to conduct part of the closing handover ceremony of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Rob took up the baton with Thame Concert Band in April 2024 and has exciting plans for the 2024/2025 season.
Rob lives with his wife, Holly - an incredible flautist - and their two young daughters Evie and Rosie. In his spare time, Rob reads Lesley's emails, and awkwardly writes about himself in the third-person.