top of page

Paul Cosh: My First, My Last, My Everything - June

Delighted to introduce Paul Cosh as this month's featured artist interviewed for My First, My Last, My Everything.

Paul has worked with all of the major London orchestras, including 18 years membership of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, West End Musicals and an extensive recording catalogue from Wham to Brian Ferry to The Jam. Enjoy this insight into a truly remarkable career and a lovely man with it.

PAUL COSH - MY FIRST, MY LAST, MY EVERYTHING

FIRST

First Musical Experience You Can Remember?

Joining the learners class of the Boys Brigade aged 7 on the cornet

First Live Musical Experience You Can Recall?

Going to hear the Beatles live in Bournemouth circa 1963

First Musical Instrument Owned?

Boosey cornet given to me by the Boys Brigade.

First Music Lesson You Can Remember and Who Taught You?

My first lesson was in the Boys Brigade when I was a Lifebuoy aged 7. My first teacher was, a wonderful man, Charlie Parsons, who taught the Boys Brigade band in Sherborne, Dorset. He was teaching brass band instruments for at least 30 years and taught my father before the second world war and me in the 1950s. He received an MBE for his services.

First Trumpet Owned and Where Did It Come From?

A Besson 10/10 My father bought it from a friend in Sherborne.

First Music Ensemble You Played In?

The Boys Brigade Brass Band

First Concert You Can Remember Performing in on Trumpet?

A solo recital in Sherborne Abbey aged 17 before going to The Royal Academy of Music

First Record You Can Remember Buying?

Sibelius 2nd symphony BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent.

It was a Music for Pleasure record costing 12 shillings and sixpence.

Who Was The First Trumpet Player To Inspire You?

The first was Eddie Calvert but later when at the Royal Academy of Music, the LSO came to rehearse in the Dukes Hall. I sat in to listen. They were playing Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite.

Willie Lang was Principal trumpet and it was electrifying. I had heard nothing like it before and proved a great inspiration to me.

First Playing Position in an Orchestra?

I freelanced in London when I left college, so I was working with lots of different orchestras. The first paid engagement was when I was still a student. It was to be in one of the off-stage bands of Berlioz Grande Messe Des Morts for the first night of the proms, July 1969. I still have the contract for that gig hanging on my study wall. I worked regularly with the RPO, LSO and the Philharmonia as well as doing West End shows before joining the BBC symphony orchestra in 1987.

First Recording Session You Played On?

There were many in the 70s, but the one that comes to mind, as one of the first, was for Bryan Ferry’s first solo album Another Time Another Place.

Quite a large band in the studio and the other trumpets were Martin Drover and Henry Lowther

First Brass Teaching Post?

Redbridge Borough Music Service as a peri.

First Overseas Tour You Took Part In?

The RPO Germany 1974 I think

First Ensemble You Conducted?

This band was formed in 1961 by my father so it holds a special place in my heart. I have been back many times to conduct them. Over the years I’ve conducted many groups. I was MD of the GSMD brass band for many years and conducted many championship bands, Desford, Sun Life, Wingates, Parc and Dare and Hanwell, to name a few.

Can You Remember Your First Paid Gig and How Much?

BBC first night of the proms 1969….. about £20

First Car You Owned?

A Morris Traveller

LAST

Last Concert You Performed In?

The Last Night of the Proms September 2005

Last Recording You Bought or Downloaded?

Beethoven String Quartets, Takacs Quartet

Last Recording Session You Played On?

The last Pop session I did was in 1982, The Jam, Beat Surrender, also that year I did Wham Bad Boys both with my friend Martin Drover

Last Orchestral Tour You Undertook?

BBC Symphony Orchestra I can remember the first I did when they offered me the job as sub-principal trumpet, Italy 1987. After that there were many, Australia and the far east, South America, USA, Germany, Spain, Istanbul and many more. I can’t remember which was the last. Throughout my career I was lucky enough to play in most of the great concert halls of the world.

Last Book You Read?

Ascent of Everest, John Hunt

Last Film You Watched?

Last Concert You Attended as an Audience Member?

Beethoven String quartets with the Takacs Quartet in the Sheldonian Oxford.

EVERYTHING

Favourite Instrument You Owned?

My Cuesnon Flugel horn that I still have.

Proudest Musical Moment?

I was playing in the pit for the Threepenny Opera at the Piccadilly theatre in 1972 and my mother and father came to see the show. After, my father who was to die the following year at the age of 53, said “I always knew you’d make it son.” I am sad that he would never see me work with our greatest orchestras.

There have been some wonderful musical highlights…. Heldenleben with Rudolf Kempe and the RPO in a televised prom (1974) and an absolutely stunning Bruckner 8 with Gunther Wand and the BBC Symphony Orchestra 1992.

Also, being able to work regularly with some of our greatest orchestral trumpet players, Jim Watson, Maurice Murphy, John Wallace, David Mason and Willie Lang does make me very grateful and a little proud.

Which Concert Venue(s) In The World Did You Use To Look Forward To Playing In?

The Berlin Philharmonie, The Carnegie Hall, Boston Symphony hall and The Fairfield Hall in Croydon (best natural acoustic in London)

Who Were The Conductor(s) You Enjoyed Playing For And Why?

Gunther Wand, for his total understanding of the music and how he wanted it to sound, Vernon (Tod) Handley for his love and interpretation of English music and Rudolf Kempe for his total command of the score, clarity of his beat and sheer charisma. Good conductors made our job easier.

If You Could Play One Piece of Orchestral Music Now What Would That Be?

Sibelius 5

Which Countries Did You Enjoy Performing In and Why?

Spain and Italy for the food, and Germany for the concert halls and the beer.

What Book, Recording and Piece, Art Work (or Photograph) and Book Would You Most Like To Have Forever

Wainwrights Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells, The Beethoven Symphonies by Gunther Wand with the NDR Orchestra and the complete works of Sibelius by the Lahti Orchestra with Osmo Vanska.

The Best Piece Advice You Were Given?

“Don’t put yourself above the music”. This was said to me by Denis Clift after I got grumpy because I’d played a loud cracked note at a RAH prom concert with the Philharmonia.

The Best Piece of Advice You Would Give To Young Brass Players Just Starting Out?

Enjoy the music and practise well.

What Do You Wish You Knew When You Were Young That You Know Now?

I wish I’d realised what a magical job being a musician is. I might have cherished it more. However we did have a lot of fun and I was lucky enough to play with some great players.

Is There Anything You Would Have Done Differently In Your Career?

I didn’t get to choose, particularly when I was a freelance player. So my career kind of just happened to me.

If You Had Not Become A Professional Musician What Career Would You Like To Have Followed?

When thinking about what I was going to do, in the sixth form at school, my options were Music College to study the trumpet (luckily that worked out and I went to the Royal Academy) or teacher training college to do PE and Music….. Quite a lot of outdoor activity and not much marking.

If There Was One Composer You Would Have Liked To Have Met Who Would That Be?

Sibelius

Likewise What Person Musical or Otherwise From History Would You Like To Have Met?

Jean Baptiste Arban

Thank you so much Paul for taking time out to be this month's featured artist on My First, My Last, My Everything. It has provided an insight into your remarkable career at the very top of the music profession plus the varied career you have achieved across many genres in live performance and recordings. Added to this your excellent reputation as a trumpet teacher and conductor.

Thank you.

bottom of page