Andy Everton was born in Leicestershire. He studied at
the Royal Academy of Music with William Houghton, Sidney Ellison
and Ray Allen, winning several prizes including the Leslie Regan
Brass Award for solo playing and the Drummond Sharpe Prize for
outstanding orchestral work.
After leaving the RAM, Andy embarked on a freelance career, working
with most of the country’s leading orchestras and opera
companies. He has performed many solo recitals and concertos
and featured as soloist on the soundtrack for the Welsh
language film ‘Oed yr Addewid’.
In 1990 Andy joined the trumpet section of the BBC National
Orchestra of Wales where he is currently a Principal Trumpet. He is
also a founder member of the jazz quintet ‘NOT NOW’.
In 2013, he was the creative force behind BBC
NOW’s innovative concerts for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing
adults and children, and in 2015 he became one of the first Arts
Council of Wales Creative Agents as part of the ‘Lead Creative
Schools’ scheme. It is his goal to make music accessible to
everyone.
Whether he is creating compositions based on a
Welsh tapestry blanket for the charity ‘Awards for Young
Musicians’, making ‘musical pizzas’ for Sinfonia Cymru, or
partnering with AFASIC Cymru taking music to children with speech
and language difficulties, innovative, creative and engaging music
making is Andy’s passion. In his spare time, he plays mountain
dulcimer and other guitar related instruments.
Andy has been teaching at the Royal Welsh
College of Music and Drama since 1992 and has been involved in
individual tuition, ensemble coaching and mentoring amongst other
activities. He has also worked for the Junior Conservatoire at
RWCMD conducting the orchestra, giving masterclasses and running
‘Jigso’ – a creative community collective for all age, all
instruments and all standards.
Andy was honoured to be made an Associate of
the Royal Academy of Music for his outstanding contribution to
music.