BTS AWARDS

British Trombone Society Annual Awards 2021

The winners of the British Trombone Society Annual Awards were announced at the AGM, held virtually on 7 November. Congratulations to all of the recipients on their well-deserved awards

Outstanding Contribution – Bob Hughes

Born in Wales, Bob moved to London in 1976 to study bass trombone at the Royal Academy of Music with Harold Nash, where he won the Sydney Langston Brass Prize.

Bob’s first job was with the BBC Scottish Symphony at the age of twenty. He then went on to play with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (1981–1989), The Philharmonia (1989–1994) and the London Symphony Orchestra (1994–2006). He made multiple recordings with these orchestras including soundtracks for blockbuster films such as Star Wars, Harry Potter and Braveheart, and toured extensively throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia.

Bob began teaching Bass Trombone at the Royal Academy of Music in 1989 and many of his students hold orchestral positions in the UK. He was president of the British Trombone Society from 2006–2010 and there is a biennial competition named after him – The Bob Hughes Bass Trombone Competition.

Player of the Year – Kris Garfitt

Kris Garfitt is a Courtois Performing Artist, Solo Trombonist of the WDR Symphony Orchestra, Gold Medal winner of the 2019 Royal Overseas League Music Competition in London and first prize winner of the 2019 Jeju International Music Competition, 2018 International Tenor and Bass Trombone Competition in Budapest, the 2018 International Juozas Pakalnis Competition of Wind and Percussion Instruments in Vilnius and the 2019 International IPV Trombone Competition in Germany. Kris was also second prize winner of the Competition Concorso Internazionale ‘Città di Porcia’ and the International Trombone Competition of Alsace.

He graduated in 2015 from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (GSMD), London, with a First Class Honours Degree and the GSMD Brass Prize (funded by the Armourers and Brasiers Company). During his time at Guildhall he undertook regular lessons with Eric Crees, Christopher Houlding and Peter Gane and later with Fabrice Millischer of Freiburg Musikhochschule. Kris is now receiving regular instruction from Guilhem Kusnierek of Saarbrücken Musikhochschule.

Between 2016 until 2020 Kris was a member of the German Radio Philharmonic, becoming solo trombonist with the WDR Symphony Orchestra in 2021. Besides regular concerts with his orchestra, he frequently performs as guest solo trombonist with many of Europe’s leading orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Kris was fortunate enough to have been a member of both the European Union Youth Orchestra and Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester.

Alongside his orchestral career, Kris also manages to navigate a busy schedule as a solo musician. He has worked with ensembles such as the Vilnius City Chamber Orchestra, the Budapest Strings Chamber Orchestra, Jeju Philharmonic Orchestra and Luxembourg Military Orchestra, performing concertos by Nino Rota, Henri Tomasi, Lars-Erik Larsson, Christopher Rouse, Vladimir Cosma and Gyula Fekete. Shortly after winning his first job Kris experienced an increased interest and love of the trombone’s wonderful solo literature, leading him to start a duo with the exceptional Korean pianist, Seri Dan. Together they perform regular concerts throughout Europe and beyond, and are planning to release their first album in 2021.

Kris also has a passion for music education and regularly offers guidance to trombonists of all levels, on a private basis and in the form of masterclasses. He has been the brass tutor of the City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra since 2016.

Sheila Tracey Award – Carol Jarvis

Carol Jarvis is one of the most in-demand session musicians in the UK. A multi-award-winning trombonist, keyboard player, arranger, orchestrator and voiceover artist, Carol has toured and recorded extensively with stars such as Sting, Queen, Seal, Rod Stewart, Amy Winehouse, Bon Jovi, Ellie Goulding and appeared on many renowned television programs with stars such as MUSE, Harry Connick Jr, Michael Bublé, Taylor Swift and so many more. Carol can also be found working with internationally renowned ensembles and some of the world’s top orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra and all of the BBC Orchestras. Regular film and TV session work fills a lot of Carol’s diary and she can also be found regularly performing in London’s West End shows. She is a professor of trombone at Trinity Conservatoire of Music in London and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where she, herself, gained the highest qualifications possible.

Carol is currently President of the International Trombone Festival, a post she has held since 2017, and in 2023 will become the first female President of the International Trombone Association. Carol’s orchestrations and arrangements have featured on albums at the top of the UK and US billboard charts, been recorded at the famous Capitol Studios in Hollywood and also played during the Academy Awards ceremony.

Student of the Year – Angus Butt

Angus grew up in Helensburgh, Scotland, learning first tenor trombone with Sarah Grant and then moving onto bass trombone with Alastair Sinclair. Throughout this time he played with the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland and Great Britain; he is currently a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra. Angus studied his undergraduate degree at the Royal Academy of Music with Bob Hughes and Keith McNicoll and is now studying with James Buckle and Paul Milner for his postgraduate degree at the Royal College of Music. He has recently begun working on the professional circuit and is currently on trial with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra whilst freelancing with orchestras such as the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the Sinfónica de Galicia in Spain.

During his time in London, Angus has won various solo and chamber music awards. As a soloist, he has won the John Solomon Brass Prize as well as the Worshipful Company of Musicians’ Brass Prize with brass dectet, Ibex Brass – with whom he was also a RAM chamber music fellow. He is a founding member of the trombone quartet Bone-afide, who have won the International Trombone Association quartet competition and were awarded both the Tunnell Trust award and the RPS Philip Jones award. Other achievements include being a finalist in the Solo Hungarian International Trombone Competition, winner of the Dublin Brass Week Concerto Competition and 1st prize in the Swisstbone Bass Trombone Student Competition.

Angus is very grateful and honoured to be a Victor and Lilian Hochhauser award holder as well as being an Ian Fleming Award holder, and having a James Caird Traveling Scholarship and is a also Countess of Munster Scholarship holder.

PHOTO CREDIT: JUSTIN SLEE PHOTOGRAPHY

Teacher of the Year – Christian Jones

Opera North bass and contrabass trombonist Christian Jones began playing at the age of ten, progressing through the excellent Staffordshire, Midland and National Youth Orchestras.

Christian was appointed to the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in 2001, aged twenty, and graduated from London’s Royal Academy of Music with first class honours the following year. A month later, he joined the Philharmonia Orchestra, London and spent a decade recording soundtracks such as Resident Evil: Apocalypse and performing around 150 concerts annually in venues from Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall. Highlights included Messaien’s Turangalîla conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Verdi’s Requiem under Riccardo Muti, a Mahler symphony cycle with Lorin Maazel and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in Bonn which launched the career of last-minute substitute Gustavo Dudamel.

Since relocating to Yorkshire in 2012 with wife, Hallé Principal trombonist Katy Jones, and their young family, Christian has been delighted to discover operatic repertoire from Puccini’s Turandot to Wagner’s Ring Cycle with the Orchestra of Opera North.

Tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music since 2015, Christian also coaches regularly with the Brass Academy and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He served as President of the British Trombone Society 2013–15, appearing as the mystery guest on Chris Evans’s BBC Radio 2 breakfast show before 9.8 million listeners!

Solo appearances include Dublin Brass Week 2015, Arctic Trombone Festival 2016 (Tromsø), Glasgow Trombone Week 2017 (on BBC Radio 3), Hungarian Trombone Bootcamp 2018, and the 2019 Slide Factory (Rotterdam) and Gravissimo Festival (Portugal). Having directed low brass residencies in Spain, London & Portugal, he has been invited to give three days of masterclasses in Rome once pandemic restrictions allow.

Christian’s YouTube channel, launched in 2017 as a study aid for students, currently features over 80 videos of solo works, technical advice, and orchestral and operatic excerpts. He is currently using the footage as part of a Master’s degree in performance at the RNCM.

In October 2021 Christian gave the world premiere of Gresley, accompanied by the Orchestra of Opera North. The occasion marked the fulfilment of a 25-yearold ambition, held since playing in the National Youth Orchestra together, to commission Benjamin Ellin to write him a bass trombone concerto. It would not have been possible without the support of Opera North, The RVW Trust, instrument sponsors Conn-Selmer, and above all, Christian’s family and friends.

Away from music, Christian can usually be found walking, running, cycling & swimming in his beloved Peak District! ◆