He is a trombonist and composer born in England who was the first ever winner of the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year Competition held annually since 1978. This was enough to start him on an incredibly successful career that has seen him playing with leading orchestras and chamber ensembles, performing on many recordings of popular artists and having his own compositions published, performed and released on recordings.
Orchestras that he has been Principal Trumpet of include the Halle Orchestra, the European Youth Orchestra, the London Metropolitan Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Opera House Orchestra at Covent Garden, chamber ensembles include the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, jazz orchestras and ensembles include the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, the Jack Sharpe Big Band and the Kippers, and Fires of London is a contemporary group he has also appeared regularly with.
Such is the respect he has received as a classical musician that several composers have created works for him including Edward Gregson’s concerto.
Popular artists that he has appeared with are too numerous to mention but include the acclaimed Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Elton John, Sir Tom Jones, Joni Mitchell, Engelbert Humperdinck, Kylie Minogue, Mariah Carey, Bryan Adams, Julio Iglesias.and Stephen Warbeck. As a composer he has composed several works for trombone and various ensembles and the soundtrack for the movie Hunters of the Lost Sun. His huge recording repertoire includes Bernstein Narrates Bernstein, The London Trombone Sound, Heart to Heart by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Family Carols with The Bach Choir, Let it Come Down by Spiritualized, Now You See Me Now You Don’t by Sir Cliff Richard, Noche de Cuatro Lunas by Julio Iglesias, Reload by Sir Tom Jones, Song of a Prairie Girl and Travelogue by Joni Mitchell, the soundtracks of The Fifth Element, The Professional (Leon), Harry Potter, Bridge Jones Diary, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Curse of the Were Rabbit, The Mission, Gladiator, and Lord of the Rings and his solo release Menagerie.
As a teacher he has been Professor of trombone at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Here he is performing with the St. Colman Brass Band…
Sources:
- http://www.mikehext.co.uk/page2.htm
- http://www.mikehext.co.uk/page3.htm
- http://www.jazzcds.co.uk/artist_id_911/biography_id_911
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hext
- http://www.lmo.co.uk/?page=keyPlayers
- http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Mike%20Hext:1927255478?sort=az
- http://www.trombone-society.org.uk/resources/articles/lts.php