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Crispian Steele-Perkins

Biography

  Crispian Steele-Perkins, hailed by critics as "the world's leading performer on the Baroque Trumpet," is renowned for concerto and solo appearances on stage and screen.  Following the traditions of an English school of solo performance, founded in the late 17th century, his early career was as a symphonic trumpeter and active studio musician in the Sadlers Wells (now English National) Opera and the Royal Philharmonic.   He was also, for 10 years, professor of trumpet at London's Guildhall School of Music.  
  He travels the world giving recitals, lectures, and masterclasses presenting programs which are both informative and entertaining.  His playing has also reached millions in more than 85 soundtracks, including such films as; A Bridge Too Far, Batman, Gandhi, Jaws, and James Bond, and with signature tunes of television programs like Dispatches and The Antiques Roadshow.  He has participated in more than 800 recordings including 23 solo recordings.  
  His interest in historical research and performance techniques, has led him to restore more than 100 "natural" and early mechanical trumpets.  With these, he has performed and recorded with many leading ensembles, from The Academy of Ancient Music and the King's Consort, to the award winning Canadian Baroque ensemble, Tafelmusik. 
He has accompanied many well-known popular entertainers including Sir Harry Secombe, Sir Cliff Richards, Sir Bob Geldoff, Kate Bush, Elaine Page, Chris Rea, and Lulu.  In the classical field, he has recorded solo trumpet "obligati" with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Lynn Dawson, Sylvia McNair, Emma Kirkby, Bryn Terfel, and James Bowman.  

 His most recently released CDs The Regents's Bugle, The English Trumpet, and Trumpets Ancient and Modern (Herald-HAVPCD 251), are available on his website www.CrispianSteele-Perkins.com as well as his newest recording of trumpet concerti, by Haydn, Hummel (on Keyed Trumpet), Hertel, Michael Haydn, and Leopold Mozart released by Hyperion in September 2001.  He has also authored a book in the Yehudi Menuhin Music Guides series called "Trumpet" published in 2001 by Kahn & Averill, London.  


Crispian is in great demand as a recitalist.  He plays and introduces music by the great composers, using original instruments of the period.  His repertoire is therefore of unusual quality, and acquaints audiences with the novel concept of "Musical Archaeology."