Composition

Hi I’m Ethan, and I’m a trumpeter and composer based in Northampton and London, UK. As a trumpeter I specialise in theatre, jazz, commercial and classical music, and as a composer my specialty is in film and media composition. ​

Growing up in Northampton I was lucky enough to have my musical journey start at NMPAT (Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust) where I learnt many instruments (trumpet, piano, guitar, ukulele), and had vocal and composition lessons. At NMPAT I played in the county music groups including the award winning NMPAT County Youth Orchestra, County Youth Concert Band and County Youth Choir. Through my time at NMPAT and my school music groups I got to perform in prestigious venues and events such as the Royal Albert Hall, Birmingham’s Symphony Hall and Town Hall, Disneyland LA, Florida’s Pillar’s Jazz Club and the LA Special Olympics opening ceremony in 2015.​

In July 2022 I graduated from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with a first class Bachelor of Music degree with honours in the trumpet. Whilst at TLCMD I was a Beatrice Taylor Scholar, a Wolfson Instrument Scholar and a semi-finalist in the Trinity Laban Soloists Competition. At TLCMD I studied with Andy Hendrie (BBC Symphony Orchestra) and participated in masterclasses, projects, and lessons with Mike Lovatt, Bob Farley, Paul Beniston, Antony Cross, Marco Blau, Russell de Vuyst and the Royal Scottish Guards. In the composition side of my education, I had lessons and classes with Adam Saunders, Guy Harries, Matthew Regan, Kit Massey and Philip Colman.

Since graduating, I have become an award-winning composer, recently having won Best Film for superhero project Vajra, tackling themes of mental health. In the last few years, I have also won the A Night of Misfit Films 2023 Choice Award at the Fantasy Film Festival in Paris for the short film Terra Firma which I co-created for my audio-visual album “Among the Stars” with animator Dean De Barros. I have music composition credits for film (Vajra, Missed Contact, From Darkness to Light and Among the Stars: Terra Firma, amongst others), TV (Second Chances), Theatre (Frocks, Socks and the Orange Fox by East Lab Dance Company which was Arts Council funded) and standalone albums and EPs (my audio-visual album Among the Stars, Revolution – my motorsports themed EP, Solstice, and Duet).

Trumpet

As a trumpeter I have had lessons from some incredible players including Andy Hendrie (BBC Symphony Orchestra), Danny Smith, Paul Beniston, Anne McAneney, William O’Sullivan, Mike Lovatt, and the late Stuart Brooks, as well as playing in projects and masterclasses with Bob Farley, Antony Cross, Marco Blau and Russell de Vuyst. I’ve also played in musical theatre masterclasses via the London Music Theatre Orchestra with Pablo Mendelssohn.

In my freelance career I have done many gigs over the last few years. A few highlights include the Platinum Jubilee Special of Songs of Praise alongside Katherine Jenkins, the Platinum Jubilee pageant on the stage, supporting The Zutons as part of Ned Dylan’s live band for the Swanbourne Music Festival and as a player on his debut album. In addition, I’ve been part of the London Film Music Orchestra (for ‘Queen in Concert’, ‘Cinema’s Greatest Themes’, Devesh Sodha’s ‘Aikima’ recorded at LSO St Luke’s and on their ‘Best of Hans Zimmer and John Williams by Moonlight’ tour in the UK and Southern Ireland) and shows such as ‘Sweet Charity’ at Blackheath Halls for Trinity Laban and on the West End at the Donmar during a sit-in.

I also held the position of brass section leader/fixer for ERSO (Ernest Read Symphony Orchestra) from November 2021 – July 2022.