Brass Department (Postgraduate)

Tony Swainson is a senior brass lecturer and Former Principal Tuba for the  BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He has seen many of his students go on to prestigious professional positions around the world. He is a graduate of the Royal Manchester College of Music, now the RNCM, where he studied tuba with the renowned tuba player, Stuart Roebuck, as well as piano and composition.

Former Principal Tuba, Ulster Orchestra

Mark Reynolds studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and it was during this time that he was chosen to play with the Jeunesses Musicales World Youth Orchestra and became a founding member of the World Brass Ensemble.

Principal Trombone, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Principal Trombone, RSNO

Principal Trombone, Scottish Opera

Stephanie studied at the Royal Northern College of Music from 2000-2005. Following on from her studies, Stephanie began her freelance career playing with orchestras including the Halle, BBC Philharmonic, Opera North, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Philharmonia, CBSO, Scottish Opera and Manchester Camerata. She also played on tour with Grammy Award- winning singer Adele. She began her current positions as Sub-Principal 4th horn at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in 2009 and began tutoring at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2012.

In 2023 Stephanie completed a PG Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Performing Arts and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Authority.

Stephanie has a passion for education and regularly participates in workshops and projects with the BBC SSO in primary and secondary schools and Tunes for Tots with pre- school children. This work has also included sessions in HMP Low Moss Prison. Stephanie is one of the regular coaches for the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland.

Stephanie enjoys chamber music and is a member of the Rookh Horn Quartet, she also frequently joins colleagues from the BBC SSO for chamber concerts.

John studied initially at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) before he completed a postgraduate study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Former Principal Horn, RSNO, David McClenaghan has been a member our Brass Department Staff as Horn Teacher since 1991.

Principal Trumpet, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Principal Trumpet, Scottish Chamber Orchestra

After graduating from both the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Royal Academy of Music in London, Chris joined the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in 2016 as Principal Trumpet. Alongside this, Chris has a varied freelance career, performing all over the world as Guest Principal with the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House among others.

Sue Baxendale is the Section Principal Horn of the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, and plays and teaches horn, natural horn and Wagner Tuba.

Sue is a Horn Tutor within the RCS Junior Conservatoire and Natural Horn Co-Tutor working alongside Anneke Scott.

Anneke Scott is a leading exponent of historical horn playing. Her work takes her throughout the globe and throughout the centuries of music with a repertoire incorporating music and instruments from the late seventeenth century through to the present day.

Anneke’s work at the RCS involves introducing the horn students to the natural horn and other historical horns. Working together, students learn about the techniques and performance practices of these instruments plus discover how this knowledge informs performance on the modern horn.

Principal Trumpet, Scottish Ballet

Principal Bass Trombone, RSNO

Tony George has had a varied career in many different aspects of brass performing and teaching.

Tony has performed and recorded with Modern Orchestras such as the Philharmonia, London Philharmonic Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of Scottish Opera and the London Mozart Players as well as many period instrument orchestras throughout Europe, most notably the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Orchestra of the 18th Century and the Gabrieli Ensemble. Tony is also a member of the Wallace Collection and has taught and devised courses at the RCM, GSMD, RAM and the RCS as well as giving masterclasses at the RWCMD and RNCM.

As well as being a performer, Tony is actively involved in research, publications of authentic editions of music and has also become involved in the development of brass instruments and innovative mutes for both tenor and bass tubas.

Ian Bousfield has been at the top of the profession for over one quarter of a century, excelling in perhaps more facets of the music business than any other trombonist to date. He is also currently International Fellow of Brass at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. His list of former students includes some of our current most successful players in orchestras around the world.

After reading Music at Kings College, Cambridge, and Composition at the Royal Academy of Music, John held a variety of Trumpet positions in London Orchestras, and enjoyed a wide-ranging and successful solo career. In 2002, John returned to Scotland and became Principal of the RSAMD (now RCS) a position which he held until he retired in 2014 after a period of huge influence on the institution. John is now an Emeritus Professor of Brass at RCS.