Our Players

When you call Premier Brass you’ll come through to either Geoff Moore Director and founding member or James Harrison who has recently joined us in our management team and is also bringing new ensembles to Premier Brass.

1st Trumpet – Stuart Henderson

Stuart began his musical career as anarmy musician in 1980 at the Household Division Junior Musicians Wing, Pirbright with a further year at the Royal Military School of Music Kneller Hall. Whilst there he won the Frank Wright cornet soloist competition and the Worshipful Company of Musicians Bronze Medal for outstanding instrumentalists. He performed many solos on the bandstand during the summer concert season and was also part of the Kneller Hall fanfare trumpeters that performed at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Barbican Centre and the Royal Festival Hall.

From 1983 until late 2006 Stuart served as a member of the Band of the Scots Guards and during that time performed at venues the world over, including Columbia Artists tours of the USA and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Germany and Monte Carlo. After just three years with the band he was made principal trumpet, subsequently becoming leader of the fanfare trumpeters and dance band as well as soloist within the band. Whilst with the band Stuart performed at every major state occasion including Trooping of the Colour, the Cenotaph, Festival of Remembrance and seven times at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. In 2002 Stuart was appointed Band Sergeant playing leading roles in both, the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee celebrations. Stuart instigated the founding of the Household Division Big Band and went on to become leader and musical director, leading the band at venues such as the Grosvenor House Hotel and The South Bank. In the same year he attained Licentiate of Trinity College London (LTCL).

Moving to Reading, Stuart became a member of Hugh Turner’s quartet with a residency at JW’s in Gun St., also joining the Tim Hills Pandemonium Band and Tongues of Fire. Stuart was also founder member of the Reading based funk band Funk Assembly which went on to appear at Ronnie Scott’s Club and The Jazz Café Camden Town. He is currently the 2nd jazz trumpet player with Chris Smith’s String of Pearls Orchestra, has appeared with the John Miller Orchestra (formerly Herb Miller) and has just been appointed 1st trumpet of the Showbiz Pops Orchestra.

2^nd Trumpet – Dominic Cotton

Doninic began his studies on Trumpet at the Birmingham conservatoire. Whilst there he also studied Natural Trumpet and then went onto to do a Post-Graduate at Trinity College of Music London. Upon completetion Dominic continue his studies on Natural Trumpet studying at The Schola Cantorum in Basel.

Dominic now combines his busy freelance carrer as a Freelance Trumpet player with The National Symphony New London Orchestra, English Touring Opera and Chamber Orchestra of Wales. Whilst on Baroque Trumpet Dominic freelance with The English Consort, Capriccio Basel, Norwegian Baroque Orchestra. Swelink players and Texas Baroque Trumpets amongst others

As well as working within orchestras, Dominic also works within Shows as well as a variety of other ensembles.

Along with performing Dominic also teaches trumpet in London, working for a number of schools and has also given a masterclass at Aberleen university, Texas USA.

Dominic performs with many of our ensembles as well as performing at wedding ceremonies.

2nd Trumpet – Gavin Mann

Gavin Mann was born in Norwich and started playing the cornet at the age of seven with the Salvation Army. After completing his ‘A’ Level studies Gavin enlisted into the British Army. Upon leaving the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall where Gavin studied with Paul Archibald he joined the Regimental Band of the 2^nd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment. In December 1995, after a successful audition, Gavin transferred into the Regimental Band of H.M. Irish Guards.

During his time in the British Army Gavin has toured around the world in places including Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Egypt, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Germany, Northern Ireland and France. As a member of the Irish Guards Band Gavin regularly plays at the Mounting of The Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace and for state ceremonial occasions and public duties such as Investitures, State Visits, Guards of Honour, Royal Garden Parties and The Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour).

Gavin also plays with various orchestras, brass quintets, brass bands and musical groups around London and the neighbouring counties in shows, operas and concerts. In 2006 Gavin completed his BA (Hons) in Humanities with History through the Open University and is soon to complete his M.A. in Music Performance Pathway with the University of Salford.

French Horn - Jonathan Wood

Jonathan first studied the French horn at Purley Grammar School near Croydon, where he attained his Grade VIII qualification at the tender age of fifteen.

He began his career as a professional musician by joining the Armed Forces in the Band of the Irish Guards in 1976. He was tutored at the prestigious Royal School of Military Music, Kneller Hall, in 1978, where he studied French Horn and Double Bass. Subsequent courses at Kneller Hall found Jonathan displaying further musical talents in arranging and conducting. He worked his way through the ranks, achieving the enviable positions of 1^st Horn and Band Sergeant Major, responsible for the day-to-day management of over 40 musicians. He left the Army in 2003 and has been a freelance musician since then, playing and conducting all over the UK and Europe.

Throughout Jonathan’s musical career he has played at major concert venues in Australia, USA, Canada and Europe. London venues include the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Barbican and the London Palladium, as well as high profile military duties such as Investitures, State Banquets, Guard Mounts at Buckingham Palace and The Queen’s Birthday Parade.

He has conducted in front of The Queen at St Paul’s Cathedral and with Concert Bands within the UK and Europe.

Jonathan is also 1^st Horn of the Croydon Symphony Orchestra, where he has been a regular member for nearly 30 years and continues his freelance career within operatic societies, orchestras & ensembles.

Trombone - Geoff Mason

Geoff Mason, born in London, studied Trombone at London College of Music before moving on to join the Regimental Band of The Coldstream Guards. He played with the band for 12 years, during which time he toured Japan, Australia, and America; he also played at high profile events such as the Trouping of the Colour, Festival of Remembrance, The Queen Mother’s funeral and The Lord Mayors Parade.

Since leaving the Guards Geoff has been building a career as a freelance musician playing on the QE2 and has worked with The Ronnie Scott’s Big Band, Chris Smith’s String of Pearls Orchestra, The Len Phillips Big Band, the touring “Rat Pack” show and featuring on the soundtrack of the “Grow Your Own” and the BBC drama “The Debt”.

Geoff also runs his own jazz quintet, which played on “jazzfm” and appeared at many jazz festivals and clubs in the UK.

Geoff joined Premier Brass in 2006 working with Don Logie in our various groups both of whom take out bands and run engagements.

Trombone - Donald Logie

Donald Logie from Scotland served in HM Royal Marines Band Service in Portsmouth for two years during which time he studied with Don Lusher.

Unfortunately, Donald was medically discharged following a serious car accident which left him blind in one eye. He then entered the Royal College of Music and is currently approaching his final year on the B Mus (Hons) course. He is studying Trombone with Peter Bassano and Euphonium with Andrew Fawbert.

Aside from his Premier Brass duties, Donald regularly appears all over England with bands such as The Central Band of The Royal British Legion Band on Principal Trombone (occasionally as soloist) and Zone One Brass Band on Principal Euphonium. Donald also enjoys regular freelance orchestral work in London and the South-East.

Tuba - Geoff Moore- 07956 207764

Geoff served for six years with the Band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers as a tuba player performing in the Trad Band, German Band, Fanfare Team and also as soloist. Whilst serving, Geoff served in the Gulf War in 1990 as well as the massed bands concerts in Halle Munsterland, Bielerfeld Massed Bands as well as tours of the UK, Canada, Holland, Italy, The Festival of Remembrance and the Lord Mayor’s parade Upon leaving the Army he then served a further four years with the Territorial Army.

He founded Premier Brass in 1995 after leaving the army, and travels around the country with the group performing at many events, both private and public. Geoff also freelances as a tuba player within chamber ensembles brass bands, jazz bands, Bavarian Bands and orchestras. He performed the Concerto for Bass Tuba by Ralph Vaughan Williams in 2000 and premiered (Little) Fool in a Trance by Chris Matthew Haines in 2001.

He attained an ARCM in performance in 1998 and in 2002 graduated from Canterbury Christ Church University College with a BA Music (Hons). As well as managing and performing with Premier Brass he also works as a peripatetic brass teacher and freelance Musical Director within various ensembles such as the Dulcet Choir & Sanctus Music XIV, as well as Musical Director & Drum Major of the 24th Invicta Rifles Band.

James Harrison - 07912 685086

James began his musical and military career enlisting into the Band of The Grenadier Guards as a flautist in 1975. He then spent a year in 1977 on the Pupils course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall Twickenham studying Flute where he gain the military qualification of A1 musician, the equivalent of the Royal Academy of Music’s diploma LRAM. During his time with the band James took part in several State events at Buckingham Palace as well as other high profile ceremonial events such as Trooping the Colour, State Visits, Remembrance Parade at the Cenotaph and The Festival of Remembrance. James also travelled extensively with band, travelling throughout America, Canada. Singapore, Thailand and Australia.

Upon leaving the Band in 1993 James continue working as a freelance musician, as he had whilst serving and in 1995 joined the Territorial Army Band The Kohima Band of The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment.

In 1996, James took up the post of peripatetic Flute teacher with both King’s School Rochester as well as Kent Music where he also teaches music theory and directed many of the large ensembles as well as running two music centres. James also took up the post if Curriculum Manager for Performing Arts, Fashion and Creative Writing for Medway Adult Learning. James gained his Diploma in Music from the Open University, studying the history of music as well as composition in 2001 as well as the Cert. Ed from Canterbury Christ Church University College in the same year.

Joining the management of Premier Brass in 2006, James divides his time with working, performing and managing all the bands with Geoff.