Nigel Seaman is a busy freelance conductor,
teacher, brass band trainer and adjudicator currently working with
a number of bands in Wales and beyond. In 2015 he joined the
creative team of Cory Band, the world's top-ranked brass band, as
their Musical Consultant, working closely with the band's Musical
Director, Philip Harper.
He has been tutor of tuba and brass studies at
the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama since 1977 and is
in much demand as a conductor, teacher, mentor, adjudicator and
brass band trainer.
Born in Denbigh, North Wales, Nigel studied at
the Royal Manchester and Royal Northern Colleges of Music. On
graduating he moved to South Wales in 1975 to join the Orchestra of
Welsh National Opera as Principal Tuba. Two years later he moved to
the principal chair of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, a post
he held for 33 years until his retirement in 2010.
Over the years, Nigel has held a number of
appointments with all the top Welsh bands including Cory, Tredegar
Town, Parc & Dare, Lewis Merthyr, Llwydcoed, Markham, BTM and
Burry Port Town Band.
Nigel is also in much demand as a freelance
conductor and adjudicator, frequently working with bands in Wales,
whilst visits further afield have included, Wellington Brass (New
Zealand), Brighouse & Rastrick, Desford and Staffordshire
bands, Faireys and Kortrijk (Belgium).
For 10 years Nigel presented the popular
Sounding Brass programme on BBC Radio Wales and during his
professional playing, conducting and adjudicating career has
travelled extensively in the UK, and undertaken many overseas tours
throughout Europe, USA, Canada, the Middle East and Far East, New
Zealand and Australia, and during the past 40 plus years has
directed over 400 contest performances and many more concert
appearances with over 45 different bands.
In 2011 the prestigious Welsh Music Guild
presented Nigel with the John Edwards Memorial Award, given in
recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of Welsh
music. This reflected Nigel's long career in the BBC NOW and his
many years of music-making in Wales. He is also a Silver Award
recipient and Life Member and Executive Member of the South East
Wales Brass Band Association.