John Wallace
Trumpet virtuoso John Wallace, one of the world’s most brilliant instrumental soloists, occupies a unique international position as a highly and widely sought after performer, educator, ensemble organiser, researcher and original programme planner. The breadth, brilliance and originality of his music making have brought his instrument and brass music to an entirely new, wide audience.
John Wallace was born in Fife, Scotland, where as a young boy he was inspired by the expressive brass playing of the local bands. He read music at King’s College Cambridge and at a young age joined the London Symphony Orchestra. He later became Principal Trumpet of the Philharmonia Orchestra and Principal Trumpet of the London Sinfonietta.
Wallace’s lively imagination and spectacular virtuosity inspired many contemporary composers to write concerti for him - includes Sir Malcolm Arnold, the late Tim Souster, Harrison Birtwistle Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Robert Saxton, Dominic Muldowney, James MacMillan and Mark Anthony Turnage. International conductors also invited him to play concerti with them, and they have included Riccardo Muti, Sir Simon Rattle, Neeme Jarvi, Esa Pekka Salonen, Yuri Temirkanov, Giuseppe Sinopoli and Leonard Slatkin.
John Wallace’s broad and eclectic interests led to his creation of a remarkable new brass ensemble which he called The Wallace Collection - not coincidentally bearing both his name and the title of the famous collection of paintings in London’s West End. It is above all with the Wallace Collection that John Wallace has developed his most original and pioneering work, including highly ambitious tours to European, American and Developing countries in which the Collection has initiated interactive educational and performing events with many of the local communities. John Wallace has made The Wallace Collection’s remit a remarkable synthesis of performance, education and research. The ensemble initiates many educational workshops and masterclasses and has embarked on a series of performances and recordings of international brass music through the centuries played on original, authentic instruments. The Wallace Collection has become a highly successful recording ensemble, with a remarkable breadth and diversity of repertoire.
Wallace continues to give recitals and masterclasses around the world and has taken part in Arts Council tours in the UK and Australia and British Council events in South Africa and Russia. Formerly Head of the Brass Faculty at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Wallace is currently Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He researched the entire history and development of the trumpet for publication by the Yale University Press. He is also co-editor, with Professor Trevor Herbert, of the Cambridge University Press Companion to Brass Instruments.
John Wallace was born in Fife, Scotland, where as a young boy he was inspired by the expressive brass playing of the local bands. He read music at King’s College Cambridge and at a young age joined the London Symphony Orchestra. He later became Principal Trumpet of the Philharmonia Orchestra and Principal Trumpet of the London Sinfonietta.
Wallace’s lively imagination and spectacular virtuosity inspired many contemporary composers to write concerti for him - includes Sir Malcolm Arnold, the late Tim Souster, Harrison Birtwistle Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Robert Saxton, Dominic Muldowney, James MacMillan and Mark Anthony Turnage. International conductors also invited him to play concerti with them, and they have included Riccardo Muti, Sir Simon Rattle, Neeme Jarvi, Esa Pekka Salonen, Yuri Temirkanov, Giuseppe Sinopoli and Leonard Slatkin.
John Wallace’s broad and eclectic interests led to his creation of a remarkable new brass ensemble which he called The Wallace Collection - not coincidentally bearing both his name and the title of the famous collection of paintings in London’s West End. It is above all with the Wallace Collection that John Wallace has developed his most original and pioneering work, including highly ambitious tours to European, American and Developing countries in which the Collection has initiated interactive educational and performing events with many of the local communities. John Wallace has made The Wallace Collection’s remit a remarkable synthesis of performance, education and research. The ensemble initiates many educational workshops and masterclasses and has embarked on a series of performances and recordings of international brass music through the centuries played on original, authentic instruments. The Wallace Collection has become a highly successful recording ensemble, with a remarkable breadth and diversity of repertoire.
Wallace continues to give recitals and masterclasses around the world and has taken part in Arts Council tours in the UK and Australia and British Council events in South Africa and Russia. Formerly Head of the Brass Faculty at the Royal Academy of Music in London, Wallace is currently Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He researched the entire history and development of the trumpet for publication by the Yale University Press. He is also co-editor, with Professor Trevor Herbert, of the Cambridge University Press Companion to Brass Instruments.
