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Graham Ashton studied with William Overton and James Watson at the
Royal Academy of Music, London from 1974-77. His first appoint-ment
was in 1978 as Co-principal trumpet with the Bournemouth
Symphony Orchestra in the UK. In 1981, he returned to London to join the
Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and until 1994 was actively involved in
London’s music scene as a soloist, recording artist and as a guest principal
trumpet with all of London’s symphony orchestras.
In 1994, Graham and family took a year’s sabbatical in Australia and
ended staying for five! During this time he performed, recorded and
conducted for the ABC, was Dean of Music at the WA Academy of
Performing Arts and Head of Brass at the Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane.
Graham has performed as a soloist with many orchestras including the BBC symphony, London
Philharmonic and English Chamber Orchestras. During the 1998/99 seasons, he performed in France,
Australia, Malaysia, South Africa and UK. He made his début solo recording in 1989 for IMP Classics
and has since recorded as a soloist with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra &
Scottish Ensemble for Virgin Classics, the English Symphony Orchestra for Nimbus and with the English
Chamber Orchestra for Claves.
A champion of brass chamber music, Graham formed the Albany Brass Ensemble as a student at the
RAM in 1974. He has also given concerts with the Locke Consort & London Gabrieli Brass and directed
the English Chamber Orchestra Brass Ensemble. As a member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
(1981-84), he made four recordings, and performed in the USA, Japan, Israel and most of Europe. The
Graham Ashton Brass Ensemble, formed in 1991, has given concerts in Europe, Scandinavia and
Australia, and recorded for Virgin Classics, ABC Classics and Chandos. Graham reformed the ensemble
in New York when he was appointed Chair of the Brass Faculty at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase
College, in September 1999.
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