Simon Barnes

Born in Solihull in 1962, Simon has played trumpet at a professional level since the age of 16, when he joined the 'Chico Arnez' band. He has played lead trumpet with the Solihull, Midland, National and European Youth Jazz Orchestras.

Simon won the John Dankworth Award for the most promising musician under 25 at the 1980 BBC Big Band competition. Other jazz credits include: Jack Sharpe big band; Wall Street Crash (inc. North Sea Jazz Festival); Mike Gibbs & the Creative Jazz Orchestra; Jazz Action; the Richard Iles big band and much more.

After leaving Leeds College of Music in 1983 Simon moved to London, going on tour with the Three Degrees and playing regularly with the BBC Radio Orchestra. He went on to perform on TV, CD and live with artists such as Matt Munro, Shirley Bassey, Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers and The Temptations. He also played with the Andy Ross band for some years.

Simon has worked on numerous West End shows including 42nd Street at the Theatre Royal, Starlight Express at the Victoria Apollo and Singin' in the Rain at the Palladium, (which was the start of many years, on and off, working with Tommy Steele). Most notably, Simon was principal trumpet for West Side Story for 18 months at the Prince Edward and the Prince of Wales theatres.

In 1989, Simon moved back to Leeds but continued to work on touring shows and sessions locally and back in London. Over the past 10 years, Simon has taken a Cert Ed. and is busy as a trumpet lecturer and band director. He has been a member of staff at Leeds College of Music since 1998 and leads workshops in jazz trumpet and big band playing, around the country.

Simon still finds time to work as a trumpet player, however, working at Granada TV on shows like Stars in Their Eyes and Soapstar Superstar and, most recently, the Royal Variety Show for ITV.