Anne McAnaney
Brass
Anne McAneney was born in Belfast where she gained her early experiences as a musician. She began by learning the piano and violin before her attention was caught by brass bands and the cornet. She then studied the trumpet while taking a BMus(Hons) degree at Goldsmiths College, London and as a post-graduate at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where she was awarded the Principal’s Prize. She subsequently achieved an MMus degree in Performance from Reading University.
In 1985 she was appointed Principal Trumpet in the Royal Ballet Orchestra making her the first woman to hold a Principal Trumpet position in the UK.
She left the Royal Ballet in 1989 to pursue a freelance career and was soon working regularly with all the major London Symphony Orchestras and chamber music groups.
Anne developed a love for the flugel horn which led to an invitation to join London Brass, the successor group to the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, where she replaced Philip as the specialist flugel horn player. She held this position for 23 years and as a Director of the prestigious ensemble, led many brass courses and workshops.
In 2000 she was appointed Sub-Principal trumpet with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, a position she still retains. For six years she was a member of the board of the orchestra. She is a very active participant in the various education schemes that the orchestra has established to help young people discover and develop musical tastes and skills.
As a soloist she has premiered numberous pieces for trumpet and flugel horn. In 1995 she became a Professor of Trumpet at the Guildhall School where she continues to teach and coach chamber ensembles. She also visits the other conservatoires in the capacity of adjudicator and examiner.
