Philip Jones (musician) facts for kids

Philip Jones (born March 12, 1928 – died January 17, 2000) was a famous British trumpet player. He was also the leader of a very well-known music group called the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. This group played brass instruments like trumpets and trombones, and they became famous all over the world.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Philip Jones was born in Bath, England. When he was 16 years old, in 1944, he won a special scholarship to study music at the Royal College of Music. This was a big achievement!

After his studies, Philip became the main trumpet player for many of London's biggest orchestras. He played with the Royal Philharmonic from 1956 to 1960, and then with the Philharmonia, the Philharmonic, the New Philharmonia, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra until 1971. He was known as one of the best trumpet players in England.

The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble

In 1951, Philip Jones started his own music group, the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. This was one of the first groups of its kind that played together regularly. It started with just four musicians but grew to ten members, and sometimes even more for special performances.

The group often played as a "quintet" (five players) or a "ten-piece" (ten players). The quintet usually had two trumpets, a horn, a trombone, and a tuba. The ten-piece group had four trumpets, a horn, four trombones, and a tuba. Philip Jones worked very hard to make these groups successful.

World-Famous Performances

After 1971, Philip Jones spent all his time leading the ensemble. Many talented musicians joined the group, including famous trumpet players like Elgar Howarth and James Watson. Other great players included horn players like Ifor James, trombonists like John Iveson, and the well-known tuba player John Fletcher.

The ensemble made 50 recordings and traveled to over 30 countries! They were especially popular in Japan. They played all kinds of music, from very old pieces by composers like Monteverdi and Giovanni Gabrieli to brand new songs written just for them. They performed 87 world premieres, meaning they were the first to play these new pieces in public. Philip Jones was known for carefully preparing every concert, which helped make the group so successful.

Retirement and Later Life

In 1986, Philip Jones had an accident where he drove his car over his own trumpet case. He saw this as a sign that it was time to stop performing in concerts.

After retiring from performing, he took on new roles. He became the first head of brass at the Royal Northern College of Music. He also became the Principal of Trinity College of Music, a position he held until he fully retired in 1994. In 1995, he was the chairman of the Musicians Benevolent Fund, a charity that helps musicians.

Philip Jones received special honors from the British government. He was awarded the OBE in 1977 and the CBE in 1986 for his contributions to music. When he wasn't working, he spent his time between Switzerland and London. Philip Jones passed away on January 17, 2000.