About Me
Hi, I'm Melissa. I'm a trombonist and brass teacher newly based in Hinckley, Leicestershire.
I started to learn to play the cornet when I was 9 years old with my local brass band, Chatteris Town Band. Not enamoured with the cornet, I moved quickly on to the tenor horn.
Aged 13 I was privileged to see principal trombone of the Royal Opera House, Lindsay Shilling, play as a soloist with my band and I was sold - the trombone was truly the instrument for me.
I began having trombone lessons shortly afterward with freelance professional trombonist, Duncan Wilson and, in 2009, was awarded a place at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance to study trombone performance.
I graduated in 2013 with a BMus (Hons) in Performance and an LTCL in Instrumental Teaching.
As a performer I have extensive experience in orchestras, pit bands and brass bands and have played all over the UK and abroad, including performances at Ronnie Scott's, the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.
See more about my performing experience on my "Performing" page.
As a conductor I was musical director of Chatteris Town Band from 2013-2017 (when I relocated to Oxfordshire) and have been a regular deputy conductor with Championship section band, Kidlington Concert Brass since 2017.
Additionally, I ran and conducted a charity massed brass band project in Cambridge in 2016 with a 45-piece band raising over £1000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
I have been teaching since 2011 and am able to teach a variety of brass instruments (cornet, trumpet, tenor horn, baritone horn, euphonium, trombone and tuba) all to grade 8+ and piano to grade 4. I hold a current, clear DBS certificate. See more about lessons on the "Music Lessons" page.
Outside of work I enjoy travelling, am an avid reader, a developing baker and am studying Greek. I live with my tuba-playing partner, Phil, and our two small dogs, Leela and Rose.