Brett Baker, principal trombone of Black Dyke Mills Brass Band, is viewed now as one of the leading brass players and teachers in Europe. Before the age of twenty five he had won every major brass band competition. He is currently the most recorded trombone soloist in the brass band movement appearing on over twenty five CDs. He is a past trombone solo champion of Great Britain and an Associate of the Royal College of Music. In 2001 he became a clinician for Besson Musical Instruments Ltd.

Brett hails from Gloucestershire and was introduced to the trombone at the age of ten by his father. His first teacher was Bryan Nelmes at Bream Band. After Lydbrook Band where he was taught by Rob Morgan and Ken Harmon he moved to the Flowers Band, and the National Youth Brass Band where he served two years as principal trombone. Successes included wins at the Cheltenham and Bath Festivals and becoming a finalist at the British Open Solo Championships in 1990.

In 1992 Brett began studies at Salford University. His teachers prior to this were Steve Walkley and Lyndon Baglin. He became a finalist in BBC's Young Musician of the Year, and soon joined the famous Fairey Band. Brett was again a finalist in the British Open Solo Championships in 1992/3, and Trombone Solo Champion in 1993/4. He was trombone tutor at Salford University from 1993-1996 and studied under David King. Brett's first solo recording Bone Idyll with the Fairey Band was completed in 1996; his advisor at the time was Denis Wick.

It is during Brett's stay in Manchester that he established a reputation as one of the finest players of his generation. In the 1990s he won the Open, National and European Championship trophies, the North West Area Contest and Cambridge Masters with the Fairey Band. He also won the Brass in Concert Entertainment contest where he was the featured soloist and was awarded "performer of the year" by his fellow players.

Brett studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in 2000 under Chris Houlding, John Iveson and John Miller, and consequently joined Black Dyke Mills Brass Band. Under the Direction of Dr Nicholas Childs, Brett has played on over a dozen CDs and highlights have included two trips to the USA and Bermuda and winning the National Championships in 2001 and 2004, and the European and British Open Championships in 2005.

As well as a hectic playing schedule, Brett enjoys presenting workshops and lectures specialising in solo performance techniques and the education of younger players. In 2001 he created the Musicians Resourcing Network to facilitate the education of brass players, and provide an opportunity to promote talented brass soloists. White River Brass was formed to support this venture. Brett has been trombone tutor on Star Lake Music Camp near New York and the Swiss Youth Band. He is currently trombone tutor of the National Children's Brass Band of Great Britain and has been trombone tutor of the Northern Brass Band Trust in Durham since 1992. In 2004 he became an advisor to the board of the International Trombone Association and in 2005 Vice President of the British Trombone Society.

As a brass clinician Brett in just the last year has visited Australia, Brazil, Dubai, France, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland and New Zealand. Brett has given workshops and recitals at Birmingham Conservatory, Leeds University, The National Arts Club USA, the New York Brass Conference, Star Lake Music Camp and the University of Toronto. He has been a guest soloist with bands all over the world. As a freelancer Brett has played with Grimethorpe, Fodens, Yorkshire Building Society and Leyland Band. Brett has regularly performed in the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Symphony Hall in Birmingham and Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

Over the past ten years Brett has been keen to promote new music for the trombone including a joint project with Leeds University and Dr Philip Wilby. Brett has been involved with over thirty commissions including composers such as Robin Dewhurst, Philip Sparke, Philip Harper, Darrol Barry and Martin Ellerby. Brett lives with is wife Sarah in Cheshire and is increasingly building a reputation as a conductor and adjudicator. For two years he was Musical Director of the Longridge Band and now acts as professional conductor for brass bands in the North of England and Midlands.

Visit Brett Baker's website at http://www.brettbaker.co.uk.