LSO Local

Katie Smith
^trumpet

Katie started the trumpet aged 7 in memory of her late father Malcolm Smith. Initially taught by her brother Robin she went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (bMus hons) and Royal Academy of Music (MA).

Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, Katie has enjoyed a busy freelance career playing with many of the UK’s leading orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia, London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic and English National Opera amongst others.

Katie manages and performs with Apollo Brass (a German based brass quintet) who were highly commended at the prestigious Philip Jones Brass Quintet competition in 2019.

Diego Incertis Sánchez
^horn

Diego is the 3rd Horn of the Philharmonia. He often plays as guest principal horn with the Philharmonia, London Symphony, London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras as well as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Diego was born in Valladolid, Spain, where he started playing the horn at age 8 under the guidance of Carlos Balaguer. He continued his studies in the Reina Sofia School of Music in Madrid with Radovan Vlatković and Rodolfo Epelde. In 2017 he moved to the Royal College of Music under Jeff Bryant, Timothy Jones and Nigel Black.

Peter Moore
^{LSO Principal Trombone}

Peter Moore came to national attention in 2008 at the age of twelve when he became the youngest ever winner of the BBC Young Musician. Alongside his performing career, he is Professor of Trombone at the Royal Academy of Music.

As a soloist, Peter has appeared with the LSO, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBCNOW, BBC Concert Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Lucerne Symphony and Polish Chamber Orchestra. He is featured frequently on BBC Radio 3 and was a New Generation Artist between 2015 and 2017. He has given recitals at venues including the Vienna Musikverein, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Cologne Philharmonie, Wigmore Hall and has undertaken recital tours across China, Japan, Korea, Australasia and South America.  World premieres by Francisco Coll, Roxanna Panufnik and the UK premiere of James Macmillan’s Trombone Concerto signify Peter’s desire to bring the trombone to the forefront of contemporary music. In 2018 he released his debut album, Life Force. Peter is a Yamaha International Artist.

Becky Smith
^trombone

Becky Smith is Principal Trombone of the English National Opera, and previously held the position of Sub-Principal Trombone of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. She is Professor of Trombone at the Royal College of Music.

In 1998 Becky gained a scholarship for a place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, and whilst studying there won the 2002 Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition Brass Prize, the Leggett Award, Terence Nagle Award and the Harry Mortimer Award. Becky is a founder member of Bones Apart.

She has performed with most of the UK's orchestras including the LSO, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Philharmonia, City of London Sinfonia, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and all the BBC Orchestras.

Isobel Daws
^trombone

Isobel Daws began to play the cornet at the age of 3 under the joint direction of her father, David Daws and the late Maisie Ringham Wiggins MBE. She moved onto the trombone in September 2008 and within six months she successfully auditioned and gained a scholarship to study trombone and piano at The Purcell School of Music. After eight years she moved to Chetham’s School to study A Levels. 

Isobel was one of the five finalists in the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year 2014 Brass Category Final. In 2018 she was once again in the Brass Category Final where she went on to be crowned the winner. In 2017 Isobel was the winner of the BBC Young Brass Award playing live on Radio 2, and was the featured soloist at the British Open Brass Band Contest, accompanied by Cory.

Paul Milner
^{LSO Principal Bass Trombone}

Paul Milner was born in Edinburgh and after a musical education, moved to Manchester to study the bass trombone at the Royal Northern College of Music. On leaving the RNCM with a Diploma in Professional Performance, Paul freelanced with some of the UK's leading orchestras, before becoming Principal Bass Trombone with the Orchestra of Opera North, Leeds in 1993. Having spent 14 years there, the position of LSO Principal Bass Trombone became vacant.

He continues to perform around the world with the LSO, as well as playing on numerous soundtracks and recordings. Paul is committed to LSO Discovery, playing trombone to children in hospitals, coaching gifted children and participating in community projects. He has also been the brass coach for the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra for the last ten years. Paul plays Yamaha instruments and has recently become a Yamaha Artist.

Ben Thomson
^{LSO Principal Tuba}

Ben Thomson studied at the Royal Northern College of Music Junior School and then went on to study for his degree at the college. He won the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist of the Year in both 2006 and 2007. Since winning the prizes, Ben has performed concertos with such ensembles as the Ulster Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra and Black Dyke Brass Band, and has given recitals for the Manchester Midday Concert Series in Bridgewater Hall, Leeds International Concert Season and RNCM’s international Festival of Brass.

Ben was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the European Union Youth Orchestra. He has since performed with most of the UK’s orchestras, including as Principal Tuba of the orchestra of the Royal Opera House and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and has also worked abroad including with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Sydney Opera House and the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra.

Plus our Summer Shorts concerts are back on Fridays through August – small groups of musicians play music that crosses genres and generations, and answer your questions. Everyone welcome, pay what you can!

And BMW Classics returns – our free, open-air summer concert in Trafalgar Square.