Jeff Snowdon

Jeff Snowdon has over 40 years experience as a professional horn player, conductor, brass teacher and event director.

As a performer he has worked with many of the leading orchestras in the North of England and Wales including the BBC Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Halle, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Northern Sinfonia and Opera North. He was a member of Sinfonia Viva and the Orchestra of Northern Ballet Theatre and worked extensively in theatre, including D'Oyly Carte, Carl Rosa Opera and many shows.

In recent years he has dedicated himself to working with young musicians. Alongside his work as Coordinator of Brass at Junior Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, he directs the JRBC Wind Orchestra. He is also Principal Musical Director of the Dark Peak Music Foundation, a large music centre in Derbyshire which he founded in 2000.

The core of his teaching philosophy is empowerment; helping young musicians to discover and nurture the natural musician within themselves, and to develop the technical and musical skills for successful playing.

Jeff studied conducting under the late George Hurst as well as attending short courses with Timothy Reynish, Denise Ham and Peter Stark. In his work with young musicians, Jeff is regarded as a highly motivational educator and conductor.

In his capacity as a director, he has developed ensembles from their earliest stages through to the highest national level, with groups appearing twice at the Royal Albert Hall in the Music for Youth Proms, including the JRBC Wind Orchestra in 2014. He has also led the Wind Orchestra to regular successes at the National Concert Band Festival, winning Gold and Platinum awards and once being described as one of the most exciting youth wind bands in the country.