Nikki Jones

About Me

"Music was my first love", teaching myself to play the recorder at the age of 4, and starting my brass playing on the cornet when I was 8 in the Kettering Salvation Army. As a teenager, I earned a place in the Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band and during this time had the experience of competing at the Royal Albert Hall and played in the 1986 School's Proms.

I then concentrated on my education (Degree in Biochemistry and Masters in Molecular Biology, if you're interested!) and embarked on a career in the sciences. Despite this, I always managed to find a band to play in.

After starting a family, I turned to tutoring as a way of keeping sane and have taught over two hundred students, aged 4 to retirees, baritone, cornet, euphonium, tenor horn, trombone, trumpet, tuba/bass, alto saxophone, clarinet, flute and music theory. Most of these have achieved grades with either the ABRSM or Trinity exam boards and some have even gone onto music college.

At the beginning of 2008 I formed the Witney Town Junior Band and enjoyed the role of their Musical Director for six years. Since 2014 I have conducted the Wantage Academy band which competes nationally in the 4th Section. Aswell as teaching and conducting I play tenor horn for Wantage Band, in the Championship Section.

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