Biography

Rob is a versatile musician with many strings to his bow. Principally a trumpet player, Rob has performed and recorded extensively with artists across the country spanning every genre from leading chamber choirs (such as Ex Cathedra) and West End stars (Rachel Tucker), to legendary folk artists (Fairport Convention) and reggae groups (Bob Marley’s Wailers). Over the last 15 years, Rob has appeared at most major UK festivals, including Glastonbury, Shrewsbury Folk, Latitude, WOMAD, Greenman, Boomtown, and Cropredy festival, to a crowd of 20,000+.

Career highlights include together with The Destroyers, composing and performing at the opening of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and in his capacity as an RAF reservist musician, marching in procession bands at the funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the coronation of Their Majesties King Charles & Queen Camilla. 

Rob studied at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire 2010-2014, and has been beneficiary of world-class tuition from the likes of Percy Pursglove, Kristian Steenstrup, Mike Lovatt, Louis Dowdeswell, Paul Mayes, to name a few. In 2018 Rob had what should have been a career-ending injury, and has since rebuilt his playing from the ground up, sounding stronger than ever.

As a passionate educator, Rob has workshopped and taught in schools across the country, and regularly tours and lectures with Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s mighty LEAP ensemble. At Repton School in Derbyshire he served as Head of Brass, and Teacher of Music & Music Technology over a nine year period, and has taught students from beginner to degree level, and celebrated the success of students being accepted into the National Children’s Orchestra. He is currently a Visiting Teacher of Trumpet at Warwick School.

Rob has worked as an ensemble leader and musical director since 2009 with a variety of groups, including Central England Concert Band, and The People’s Orchestra, with whom he was fortunate to conduct part of the closing handover ceremony of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Rob took up the baton with Thame Concert Band in April 2024 whom he still works with weekly. 

Rob lives with his wife, Holly – an incredible flautist – and their two young daughters.