About

Her career as a musician has taken her all over the world, performing in concert halls from Japan and Korea, to the USA and Morocco. Previously Co-Principal Trombone with the London Symphony Orchestra (the first female brass principal in the history of the orchestra) she has also appeared on soundtracks for over 50 feature films and video games, including Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and several of the Harry Potter series.

Katy started playing in her local brass band on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales in Kirkby Lonsdale, going on to study at Chetham’s School of Music from the age of 13. She was the Brass Winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year in 1996, and won the Don Lusher prize in the BBC Big Band Competition.

Unusually, Katy decided to study Pharmacy at The University of Manchester, graduating in 2001 with a good grounding in anatomy and physiology. This interest continued when she returned to the music profession, and she pursued further research into different breathing techniques.

This research changed from being brass-focussed to being health-driven during lockdown, as she was helping to support a family member with a chronic illness. Realising how fundamental breathing technique is to our health, she found a course run by the Buteyko Breathing Association for Health Care Professionals. This course provided the rigour and detail she was looking for, all backed by the evidence-based research required for the NHS, and was run by 3 Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapists.

With her communication skills, backed up by years of research, training, and practical brass playing experience, Katy has delivered lectures and workshops at the RNCM, RAM, Dublin Brass Week, Norwegian Academy of Music and for the Hallé Orchestra. This information is relevant for everyone: Breathing is for Life and not just for Wind Players!