played serpent in BBC TV's Pride and Prejudice and, as serpentist with the Mellstock Band, has also appeared in film and television versions of Hardy novels. In addition he has contributed the serpent part to many recordings of orchestral works, and also plays ophicleide. (Christopher Monk accurately described this instrument as a 'high tech serpent'.) One of his early musical roles was as trombonist in the Andy Ross Band, which played for the television programme Come Dancing.
is professor of Serpent and Ophicleide at the Royal Acadamy of Music. He played ophicleide on the seminal 1989 Roger Norrington recording of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and serpent on the subsequent recording of Berlioz's original version of the work. He is also one of the leading freelance tuba players in London.
gave the first known ophicleide recital in history (at the Horniman Museum in 1990) and has been a member of the trio for many years, as well as researching and writing about brass instruments. His varied musical experiences include a time as pianist with the Temperance Seven and as tubist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.