Simon de Souza
Encyclopedia
Simon de Souza is one of the most active and influential horn teachers in the United Kingdom. He teaches at the Birmingham Conservatoire (where he has been professor of horn since 2004), is horn tutor at Wells Cathedral School
and the Purcell School
and is also involved with the Junior departments of the Trinity College of Music
and Royal Academy of Music
. He works with many youth orchestras, including the National Youth Wind Orchestra, National Children’s Wind Orchestra, National Schools Symphony Orchestra and National Children’s Orchestra. He writes on horn teaching matters for publications including Music Teacher and the Hornplayer magazine, journal of the British Horn Society, of which he is vice-chair and educational consultant.
His past pupils include two under-18 winners of the Shell/LSO prize and a winner of the British final of the Paxman International Horn Competition; several former students hold principal positions in major British orchestras.
De Souza was brought up in Henley-on-Thames
. He studied under legendary British horn teacher Ifor James
, followed by postgraduate studies at Trinity College of Music
in London. His performing career has seen him work with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
, Bolshoi Ballet
and particularly the quintet Chaconne Brass, with whom he has made four recordings.
He lives in Reading, Berkshire
. He is married with two sons. His cousin Chris de Souza is a noted broadcaster, music director and author.
Wells Cathedral School
Wells Cathedral School is a co-educational independent school located in Wells, Somerset, England. The school is one of the five established musical schools for school-age children in the United Kingdom, along with Chetham's School of Music, the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Purcell School and St....
and the Purcell School
Purcell School
The Purcell School is a specialist music school for children, located in the town of Bushey, south Hertfordshire, England, and is the oldest specialist music school in the UK. The school was awarded the UNESCO Mozart Medal in 2003, which was received on behalf of the school by Prince Charles, who...
and is also involved with the Junior departments of the Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
and Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
. He works with many youth orchestras, including the National Youth Wind Orchestra, National Children’s Wind Orchestra, National Schools Symphony Orchestra and National Children’s Orchestra. He writes on horn teaching matters for publications including Music Teacher and the Hornplayer magazine, journal of the British Horn Society, of which he is vice-chair and educational consultant.
His past pupils include two under-18 winners of the Shell/LSO prize and a winner of the British final of the Paxman International Horn Competition; several former students hold principal positions in major British orchestras.
De Souza was brought up in Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
. He studied under legendary British horn teacher Ifor James
Ifor James
Professor Ifor James was a horn player and teacher, numbering among his pupils many future Principal Horns and horn professors at British music schools....
, followed by postgraduate studies at Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
in London. His performing career has seen him work with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
, Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
and particularly the quintet Chaconne Brass, with whom he has made four recordings.
He lives in Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. He is married with two sons. His cousin Chris de Souza is a noted broadcaster, music director and author.