Anthony Thompson

Anthony Thompson began his musical training at The Salvation Army in Castleford, Yorkshire, progressing through a music scholarship to Ackworth School and then to Hull University where he graduated with an Honours Degree in Music. Following a year of post-graduate trumpet studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and two years as Music Director to the Salvation Army in Texas, he is now “one of the finest trumpeters of his generation”!

 

In 2007 Anthony was appointed principal trumpet of Skipton Camerata and in April 2008 he was appointed principal trumpet of Sinfonia Viva. Following a live TV broadcast on Christmas Day 2002 he was also principal trumpet and soloist with the New English Orchestra until 2015. He is currently on trial with the BBC Philharmonic. Despite all this, he somehow manages to make regular appearances (including guest principal trumpet) with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, Manchester Camerata, Manchester Concert Orchestra, Northern Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Northern Sinfonia. He also works with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Opera North, English Northern Philharmonia, the Royal Shakespeare Company, North of England Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Northern Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Britten Sinfonia. He has played principal trumpet with Orquestra Nacional do Porto and been a member of the Britten-Pears Orchestra and Baroque Orchestra. In addition, Anthony is a part of ViVA Brass, Brass Ho! and Prince Bishops Brass.

 

As a session musician, Anthony has played on recordings with artists as diverse as Don Lusher, Kenny Baker, Norman Wisdom, Barbara Windsor, Claire Sweeney, Shirley Bassey, Delirious? and Gorillaz amongst many others, His albums of varied Classical works are available on streaming and download websites. In live performance, Anthony has performed with the Fine Arts Brass Ensemble, Lesley Garrett, Hayley Westenra, The Sixteen with Harry Christophers, Liam McNally, London Community Gospel Choir, Steve Winwood, duetted with Sting and played for Pope Benedict XVI!

 

Anthony’s sound was heavily featured in an award-winning 2018 film, called “Solo!”

 

As a soloist, Anthony has toured extensively throughout the UK, USA, Holland, Norway and Brazil, and has appeared in Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Switzerland and Italy. With organist Gordon Stewart he gave the first performance of Andrew Carter's Petite Suite, which they then took on two tours in the United States. In addition to his own solo work and masterclasses, Anthony appears regularly on BBC Radio 4's Daily Service and BBC Television’s Songs of Praise. In the summers of 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2012 he performed substantial solo works with the New English Orchestra at the Salzburg Festival, returning in 2014 to premiere a new composition written especially for him!

 

In late 2010 Anthony teamed up with Greg Bish to form a duo, whose informative concerts manage to display an unexpected complement that the trumpet and classical guitar can be to each other. Their first live recording, "An Intimate Evening with the Bish/Thompson Duo" is available online.

 

Anthony is well known for the wide range of instruments he plays in concerts - everything from didgeridoo and conch shell to coaching horn, antique and modern cornets, soprano trombone, bugle, flugel horn, ramshorn and antelope horn shofars, natural and piccolo trumpets!

 

Why not visit www.anthonythompsontrumpet.com, find him on Spotify, or follow @AntTrumpet on twitter?

Why not visit www.anthonythompsontrumpet.com, find me on Spotify, or follow @AntTrumpet on twitter?