Originally from the Wirral, Ian Fisher was
taught to play the cornet by champion soloist and brass band
conductor James Scott before switching to the horn, mainly because
he liked the sound but with the additional incentive that the
lessons coincided with a double period of Latin on Wednesday
afternoons. After studying with Sydney Coulston at the Royal
Northern College of Music, where he won the Hiles medal, Ian joined
the orchestra of London Festival Ballet then moved to the Scottish
National Orchestra and ultimately became a member of the BBC
National Orchestra of Wales with whom he toured the world playing
in such venues as Carnegie Hall, New York; the Musikverein, Vienna;
and … the Sun Centre, Rhyl. He retired from the BBC in 2017 after
over thirty years in the horn section during which time he also
appeared as guest principal with many other British orchestras.
Acknowledging myriad formative influences, he
includes among their number Dennis Brain, Philip Farkas, and Bill
Shankly.
Although having missed out on most of his
school Latin lessons, Ian learnt just enough to say that RWCMD
music students' hard work is a sine qua non of their success.