JOHN ALLEY
John Alley is the Principal Keyboard Player of the London Symphony Orchestra. Born in London, he began his musical training as a chorister of Westminster Abbey, thereafter studying piano at the Guildhall School of Music with James Gibb. Starting out as an accompanist and chamber musician, some time passed before he found himself working as an orchestral pianist. In this role he has played with most of the British orchestras along with many of the top chamber ensembles; notably The London Sinfonietta and The Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
John Alley has taken part in over one hundred Proms over the last quarter century, playing Stravinsky's Petroushka four times, Bartok Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste three times, Les Noces on the night of the Royal wedding in 1981 and just about every other piece with an orchestral piano part, at least once! During this time he has been privileged to work with many of the 20th century's major composer/conductors, including Boulez, Berio, Benjamin, Henze, Karl Jenkins, Kurtag, Lutoswaski and Oliver Knussen.
There has been also an occasional 'solo' contribution and a minor sensation occurred in the performance of 'Suite for the Hypothetically Murdered' in 1992 when he drank a pint of beer in the middle of a cadenza!
He has recorded extensively for television, radio and disc. The association with Nigel Gomm has been very fruitful and has produced upwards of forty CDs with John Alley as accompanist.
NIGEL GOMM
After studying at the Royal Academy of Music, Nigel Gomm worked as a trumpeter for the stage, particularly the West End and in studios. He was a member of the prestigious Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and Principal Trumpet of the Royal Philharmonic Pops Orchestra; for the past sixteen years he has been a member of the London Symphony Orchestra.
As a trumpeter Nigel Gomm has recorded everthing from classical to pop, including TV jingles and film scores and worked with artists as diverse as Andre Previn, Henry Mancini, Michael Nyman and Oasis.
After years recording as a player, he built his own studio, The Outback, and began a parallel career as a producer, engineer and composer. Nigel has produced and mastered for chamber ensembles, soloists and rock bands as well as co-writing and producing a highly successful childrens' CD. His studio now has a growing reputation for specialising in 'playalong' soundtracks for educational purposes.
PAUL MAYES
Paul Mayes is one of Britain's most exciting and versatile players. An international soloist and Denis Wick solo artist, he has performed across Europe, the Far East and the USA with bands and orchestras including London’s Royal Philharmonic.
After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music he accepted an invitation to study in the USA with Charles Schlueter, Adolph Herseth and Wynton Marsalis.
Now a leading teacher, clinician and exponent on brass pedagogy, he has given masterclasses, and lectures at the University of Illinois, Chicago, the Military School of Music, Qatar, the UKs top music colleges and most recently as artist-in-reidence at Queens University Belfast. In 2007 he opened the BBC Proms brass day with a workshop to over 250 brass players using unique techniques and exercises from his ground breaking interactive multimedia trumpet tutor ‘You Me and a Trumpet’ A regular guest principal with many of Britain's leading symphony orchestras he has performed also as lead trumpet in numerous West End shows and is in demand as a brass band conductor, trainer and adjudicator.
