Andrew Berryman

Conductor - Musical Director

On completion of his studies in 1984, Andrew was appointed Principal Trombone with the Ulster Orchestra. In 1988 Andrew was appointed the Principal Trombone of the Halle Orchestra, a position he held until September 2008. During this period Andrew was the trombone professor at the Royal Northern College of Music. He also taught at Salford University and Chethams School of Music where he taught Peter Moore, the 2009 BBC Young Musician of the Year. Many of Andrew's students are now in key orchestral and military band positions around the world.

Andrew was a founder member of Halle Brass, a highly successful brass quintet, and Halle Rock, a rock band originally formed to raise money for Halle funds. Andrew was also very active in the Halle Education Department and worked as a clinician, educator and animateur.

As an instrumental performer Andrew has played with most of the UK's orchestras. As a soloist he has performed with the Halle, the Ulster Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, more recently the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra and many of the UK's leading Brass Bands. He has also been featured on many CD's as a soloist and recorded a solo CD with Doyen.

Andrew has given clinics and masterclasses in most of the UK's leading places of higher education and abroad at Julliard, Manhatten School of Music and The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. Norway has for many years been part of Andrew's busy schedule where he has worked as a soloist, educator, conductor and adjudicator at Siddis Brass and the Norwegian Brass Band Championships.

Over the past 10 years conducting has played a wider role in Andrews musical career. He was the Musical Director of the Wingates Brass Band from 2005-2008 and was described in the band press as bringing the 'win' back to Wingates. Under Andrew's baton the band enjoyed success at the French Open, the US Open, the Senior Cup and the Area contests.

Andrew also developed strong connections with the Internationally recognised Minimalist composer Michael Nyman culminating in 2009 with a highly successful recording of Nyman's music. There were 2 other critically acclaimed CD's under Andrew's tutelage. 'Frolic for Trombones', described as 'slightly different but all the more enjoyable for it' and 'Extremes' described as 'mavarick, with a real sense of musical adventure'. Both CD's featured many of Andrew's arrangements.