Byrne, Nick

He is a trombonist and ophicleide player born in Sydney and raised in Canberra, Australia who studied at the Canberra School of Music, where he earned his Bachelors degree in Trombone Performance and took further studies in the United States at DePaul University with Charles Vernon. He was also taught by the trombonists Jay Friedman and Michael Mulcahy along with several others.

He joined the Hofer Symphoniker in Germany as Solo Trombone and in 1994 Sir Georg Solti chose him to perform in his Carnegie Hall Festival Orchestra. In 1996 he became a member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, after the Conductor Edo de Waart recommending him, where he has held the position of Second Trombone.

Other orchestras and ensembles he has performed with include him being a co-founder of the Sydney Symphony Brass Ensemble as well the playing with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Canberra Trombone Quartet and in the United States with the Chicago Symphony Lower Brass ensemble, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Chamber Ensemble, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Millar Brass and Summit Brass.

After injuring his shoulder in a motorbike accident, which made playing the trombone difficult, he is now also known for playing the historical instrument the ophicleide, which was a fore-runner of the tuba. 2002 saw him being awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study the instrument in France. In 2003 he performed it as a soloist at the Melbourne International Festival of Brass and again in 2009. His first recording featuring solo performances of the ophocleide was made in 2006. He performed it with the World Orchestra for Peace and other orchestras he has played it with include the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The composer William Perry wrote him “Ophicleide Concerto: Pastoral”.

Recordings he has performed on include his own Back from Oblivion,where he performs the ophicleide, along with Christmas With the Symphony Brass of Chicago by The Chicago Symphony Low Brass Ensemble and AkustiChrisye by Chrisye.

Christmas Carols recordings by Chicago Symphony Low Brass Ensemble

Angels We Have Heard On High (Traditional/Chadwick/Barnes)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner

The First Nowell (Traditional/Anonymous)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranger – Luther Henderson

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Anonymous/Traditional)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranger – Luther Henderson

Here We Come A-Wassailing (Wassail Song) (Anonymous Middle Ages English)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranger – Luther Henderson

I Saw Three Ships (Traditional/Anonymous)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranger – Luther Henderson

In Dulci Jubilo (J.S. Bach version)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner

Jingle Bells (James Lord Pierpoint)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner

Joy to the World (Isaac Watts/Lowell Mason/Georg Frideric Handel)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner

Lo, How A Rose (Traditional Anonymous German)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner

O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis)(John Francis Wade/Fred Oakeley)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner

O Holy Night (Adolphe Charles Adam)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner

O Little Town of Bethlehem (Phillips Brooks/Lewis Redner)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Arranged – Ralph Vaughan Williams

The Twelve Days of Christmas(Unknown English c18th century/Frederic Austin)
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner

Sources:

Byrne, Nick

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