Watson, James (4th September 1951-6th February 2011)

He was a trumpeter, conductor and teacher from Leicestershire, England who studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

He was a member and principal trumpet of many orchestras and ensembles including the Desford Colliery Brass Band, Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, the Nash Ensemble, the London Sinfonietta, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble had the work “Tico Tico for Trumpet” arranged for him by the conductor and ensemble member John Iveson.

He was also very much recognised in his work for television and film and with popular artists such as Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel.

As a conductor he held the position of Artistic Director with the Black Dyke Mills Band and the National Youth Brass Band of Wales and was also the Vice-President of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain and was awarded the Iles Medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians.

He appeared on several recordings including his solo album Trumpet Masterpieces, Baroque Brass, La Battaglia – Music for the Battle and Greatest Hits by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, Premonitions by Nigel Clarke, Essentially Christmas by the East London Chorus, the soundtracks for many movies including Gladiator, The Mummy Returns, A Bridge Too Far, Harry Potter II, three Star Wars and four Superman, the OVO: Millennium Show by Peter Gabriel and Give My Regards to Broad Street by Paul McCartney.

In education he was a Professor at the University of London and the Head of Brass at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he was awarded a Fellowship in 1989.

He died from a heart attack in 2011 when he was 59 years old.

Philip Jones Brass Ensemble recordings
The Agincourt Song (Anonymous)
Decca B0000807 (2003, CD: Music from the Royal Court)

Sources:

Watson, James (4th September 1951-6th February 2011)

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