Education and Teaching Overview
Instrumental teacher with an excess of thirty-five years’ experience in educating professional
musicians, college students and within state and private sector instrumental music schemes.
Passionate about instilling the benefits and importance of instrumental tuition within the
school curriculum. Has been heavily involved in the direction and coaching of numerous
ensembles from brass ensembles, brass bands, orchestras and wind ensembles, both at local
and International level.
Amongst numerous benefits, instrumental music is very much a social medium and believes
student involvement in ensembles, from an early age and ability, is of paramount
importance. Has a proven track record of achieving the highest ABRSM brass examination
results recorded in the United Arab Emirates; in the final May 2016 sitting before repatriating,
seven out of eight brass entrants achieved Distinction at Al Yasmina School. Fully realizes
the importance of frequent communication with parents to ensure close monitoring of
expectations, progress and goals. Uses up to date technology as part of daily teaching
resources; SmartMusic, Tunable, Garageband, PracticePal, Logic Pro X and numerous iPad
applications.
Aware of the importance of greater involvement within the School Music Department. Has
been heavily involved with school productions, concerts, recitals, ABRSM entries, recordings
and securing Al Yasmina as an accredited ABRSM examination centre. Carried out ICT CPD
to curriculum staff on the use of the iPad within the music curriculum and SmartMusic as a
teaching aid for the instrumental teacher, student and parent. Presented performance and
training workshops to GCSE, AS and A level students in preparation for exam recitals.
Has recorded, edited, mixed and mastered GCSE, AS and A Level performances and
compositions along with production of music for a recent Mindfulness programme and IOS
app for full school use.
Observed as a ‘Outstanding’ teacher on separate occasions by both line manager and school
Principal.
CPD included a recent SEN course, in addition to a weeklong instrument repair course with
Trevor Head in the Brecon Beacons. Qualified to carry out basic repairs to brass
instruments.
Teaching Experience
Cheshire County Council Music Service – Peripatetic Brass Tutor 1992 to 1996
■ Responsible for the tuition of in excess of fifty students across the County. Engaged in
the low brass tuition of the County Youth Brass Band and Orchestra.
North Yorkshire County Music Service – Peripatetic Brass Tutor 1996 to 2005
■ Accountable for six schools across the North of the County and was involved in the
extra curricular music activities in most schools including; Jazz Band, Brass Band,
Orchestra, Wind Band and Brass Ensembles.
Somerset County Music Service – Peripatetic Brass Tutor 2005 to 2008
■ Involved in the running of school orchestras and brass ensembles as well as day-to-day
tuition of brass students in West Somerset.
Taunton School, Somerset – Low Brass Tutor 2005 to 2008
■ Responsible for the tuition of students from pre-prep through to sixth form. Heavily
involved with the direction of brass ensembles through prep and senior schools in
addition to frequent participation in concerts, recitals and school productions.
Clifton College and Prep School, Bristol – Brass Tutor 2006 to 2008
■ Answerable for the instrumental music tuition of students from Butcombe Prep School
as well as the Senior College.
Aldar Academies, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – Brass Tutor 2008 to 2016
■ Initiated, in entirety, the instrumental music scheme across all Aldar Academies.
Delegated responsibilities included writing all documentation including tuition terms and
conditions, instrument hire agreements, instrument budgeting and procurement,
producing website information and design, accounting systems, staffing, timetabling,
resources, student monitoring and report systems, tuition of brass students and extra
curricular music activities across all academies including Primary Brass Ensemble,
Secondary Brass Ensemble, Big Band, Saxophone Ensemble and School Orchestra.
Warwick School, Warwick – Brass Tutor 2016 to date
■ Responsible for the individual tuition of twelve students, the Year 7 Scheme low brass
students, pBone scholars, run and assist with ensembles including The Undertones,
Foundation Youth Wind Orchestra and All Stars Band.
King’s High School, Warwick – Brass Tutor 2016 to date
■ Responsible for the individual tuition of seventeen students, the Year 7 Scheme low brass
students, trombone scholars, the running of Big Brass (a beginner brass ensemble of
eighteen members) and Unity Brass (advanced Grade 5 plus ensemble of eleven
members).
Additional Experience
Low brass instrumental master classes and workshops carried out at:
Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester
Royal Danish Academy of Music, Copenhagen
University of Newcastle (Performing Arts), Australia
Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Australia
University of Gothenburg, Academy of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music, London
Huddersfield University, Performing Arts Department
Past Trombone Tutor for:
The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain
The National Youth Brass Band of Scotland
The National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland
NJBB Graubunden (Switzerland)
The National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand
IBBSS trombone tutor
Brass Band Summer School (Framlingham College, Suffolk)
Education
Fellow of The London College of Music (FLCM)
Licentiate of Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London (LGSMD, Hons)
Referees
Contact details available on request.
Performance Overview
Nick Hudson’s musical foundations are firmly rooted within the brass band movement. He started playing at the age of eight and following initial tuition from his father and a brief spell in The Salvation Army, Nick was appointed principal trombone of the world famous Foden Motor Works Brass Band at the age of only fifteen. During his fourteen years in that position he established an international reputation as one of Europe’s finest trombone players and teachers. He has presented master classes and performed in concert halls as far afield as Australia, Israel, Canada, the USA and throughout Europe. In addition he was the featured soloist at the National Brass Band Championships Gala Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on four occasions. He premiered the Wilfred Heaton Trombone Concerto live on BBC Radio 3 and gave the first public performance of Philip Wilby’s concertino White Knuckle Ride – both composed especially for him. Recently he returned from a successful tour of Spain where he performed the Holst ‘Concertante for Trombone and Wind Band’ and the Derek Bourgeois ‘Trombone Concerto’ at the World Wind Band Association conference in Valencia following enthusiastic reviews from music critics and trombone players throughout Europe. Nick released his first solo recording ‘Anthology’ with the Britannia Building Society Band in 1996 followed by the highly successful ‘New Horizons’ in 2002 featuring a diverse range of styles from jazz, avante garde and brass band repertoire. Another recent recording features a range of specially commissioned works for tenor and bass trombone where Nick plays alongside Douglas Yeo, Bass Trombone with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. His most recent addition to his discography is collaboration with Andrew Justice and the Enfield Citadel Band of The Salvation Army. The recording features original solo and duet repertoire and has already received critical acclaim. In June 2007 Nick also gave the premiere recording of Elizabeth Raum’s Fantasy for Trombone and Brass Band. In addition to these recordings Nick has been featured soloist on twenty other releases with ensembles throughout the UK and overseas. On both resident and freelance levels, Nick has played with most of the UK’s top brass bands; Britannia Building Society Band, Leyland Band, Yorkshire Building Society Band, Black Dyke Mills Band, Grimethorpe Colliery and the Fairey Band. In addition, Nick was a founder member of the highly acclaimed Howard Snell Brass ensemble. He has travelled worldwide coaching players and is currently trombone tutor at the celebrated Brass Band Summer School in Framlingham. Nick has been guest soloist with many ensembles including the New York Staff Band, Grimethorpe Colliery Band, the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland, NJBB Graubunden, National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand, Enfield Citadel Band, Kortrijk Brass Band, Brass Band De Bazuin Oenkerk, Maple Leaf Brass Band, Brass Band Willebroek and Lyngby-Taarbaek Brass Band. Nick is now a member of the Sheffield based pro-orchestra Brigantes. He was featured soloist and clinician at the Leeds University Chain Brass Festival, a weeklong course of workshops and seminars for professional players from all over Europe. He has also given recitals and lectures at the Royal Northern College of Music, Royal Academy of Music (Stockholm), Melbourne School of Performing Arts, Newcastle School of Music (Australia), Goteborgs Universitet Artisten, RAF Cranwell, the Norwegian National Wind Band Championships in Trondheim, the British Trombone Society Festival at the Guildhall School of Music and London’s famous 100 Club. Nick was particularly pleased to be awarded The Don Lusher Memorial Prize for his playing at the BIC Contest. In addition to demands as a performer and clinician for Conn Selmer Instruments and Denis Wick Products, Nick is a regular editorial contributor and writer for many specialist brass publications. He is also a writer and advisor to the British Trombone Society. Nick’s recent schedule has included an increasing number of adjudicating engagements; he has been on the panel of judges at the US Open Brass Championship in Chicago, adjudicator at the Swiss National Solo Brass Championships in Sion and the Brass in Concert Championships at Gateshead.
What Other Players Say…..
“To hear Nick play the trombone is to indulge in a rare pleasure. His warm, supple tone combined with impeccable artistry places him in the top rank of trombonists.”
Douglas Yeo – Bass Trombonist Boston Symphony Orchestra (retired)
“Nick has a fine tone and his intonation is excellent, as well as phrasing and legato. I am sure his solo recordings will be a big success.”
Jay Friedman – Principal Trombone Chicago Symphony Orchestra
“Nick makes my solo sound his own, he has total command of the instrument and makes what I thought was a virtuoso solo, sound easy”
Bruce Broughton – Film Music Composer
“Tommy Dorsey, Michel Becquet, Don Lusher… Nick certainly belongs with these other lyric poets of the trombone…. his playing is the kind that attracts attention to the music itself; it is
unaffected, engaging and sincere.”
Scott Hartman – founder member Empire Brass USA
“Superlatives cannot express Nick’s sensitive playing in the slow movement of the Sparke.” Brass Band World Magazine
“Hudson was the soloist in Langford’s ‘Rhapsody for Trombone’ and this was the high spot of the day in terms of the soloists on offer. His was a faithful reading of a superb showcase
piece and his performance was never less than brilliant. He is a supreme exponent of the art of solo playing.”
4BarsRest.com – the Online Brass Magazine
“YEO AND HUDSON EXCEL. . .uncompromising high quality.”
Brass Band World Magazine
“A wonderful program of solos and duets marked by great variety, technical assurance, and above all, mature musical lyricism.”
The Brass Band Bridge
“Surface virtuosity is eschewed in favour of lyricism and refined musicianship. . .played with exquisite sensitivity.”
The British Bandsman Magazine
“A remarkable CD . . . This is a must-have album.”
The Online Trombone Journal
“Yeo and Hudson’s attention to musical line and lyric quality is purely exquisite and refreshing from top to bottom.”
International Trombone Association Journal
Discography
In addition to the list of compact disc recordings below, Nick has been featured soloist in
more than fifty BBC and international radio broadcasts.
SOLO RECORDINGS
New Horizons (Belburn)
Anthology (Polyphonic)
Two of a Mind (SP&S)
Comrades (SP&S)
FEATURED GUEST SOLOIST RECORDINGS
Sovereign Soloists (Doyen Recordings)
Sovereign Soloists meet CWS Glasgow Band (Doyen Recordings)
Brass with Class (Polyphonic)
Year of the Dragon (Doyen Recordings)
NJBB of Switzerland ‘Live’ (Tonhalle)
Light as Air (Polyphonic)
Cry of the Celts (Polyphonic)
Brass in Concert ‘Live’ 2004 (SP&S)
Hamilton Band ‘Live’ in Canada (Simply Brass)
European Brass Band Championships (Polyphonic)
National Brass Band Championships (Polyphonic)
NJBB Graubunden Gala Concert (Tonnstudio)
Brass at the Masters (Polyphonic)
Premiere (Polyphonic)
Je Deux Enfant (Polyphonic)
Four Seasons (Polyphonic)
Swedish Brass Band Championships (Gothenburg Brass)
Brass Band Aid (Pennine Brass)
Shout (National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland 2010)
Tokyo City Brass (Japan) 2013
Where Have all The Flowers Gone – Desford Band (Island)
Recent Recital and Solo Engagements
Guest soloist with Tokyo City Concert Brass, Japan 2013
Concert Tour of Canada with National Arts Centre Orchestra Brass and Maple Leaf Brass – May 2008
Guest soloist and tutor National Youth Brass Band of Switzerland 2008
Performance of the Derek Bourgeois Trombone Concerto with TSO 2009
Adjudicating Panel for Swiss National Brass Championships in Sion, Switzerland 2009
Recital Tour of Toronto – May 2005
Guest Recital Huddersfield University – April 2005
US Open Band Championships – Chicago 2004
British Trombone Society Festival – Portadown, Northern Ireland 2004
Spanish Trombone Society Festival – Valencia 2003
Brass in Concert – Spennymoor 2003
Recital tour of Canada – 2003
Recital tour of New Zealand – 2003
Recital tour of Switzerland – 2003
Recital tour of Spain – 2003
New Jersey Brass Festival– New York 2002 and 2003
World Symphonic Wind Band Conference – Valencia 2002
Great Northern Brass Festival – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester 2002 and 2003
National Brass Band Championships– Royal Albert Hall, London 1999, 2002 and 2003
Regent Hall Brass Festival – London 2001 to 2003
Danish Brass Band Summer School 2002 – Hjorring, Denmark 2002
Low Brass Tutor Brass Band Summer School – Framlingham 1996 to present
British Open Brass Band Championships – Symphony Hall, Birmingham 2001
Recital tour of Australia – 1997