Trombone
Bass Trombonist Garrath Beckwith hails from Saddleworth, a musically rich area in the heart of the Pennine hills!
Garrath started playing the bass trombone at the age of 10 years old and is a former member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and has played for many of Europe's leading Brass Bands including the world famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band, the Yorkshire Building Society Band, the Williams Fairey Band and BNFL amongst others.
Garrath is a proud graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he studied the bass trombone with Adrian Morris (Hallé Orchestra), Chris Houlding (Opera North), John Iveson (Covent Garden / BBC Symphony and Philip Jones Brass Ensemble), Ben Van Dijk (Rotterdam Philharmonic) and James Gourlay (International Tuba soloist), he also featured in masterclasses with Ian Bousfield (internationally acclaimed trombone teacher & soloist / LSO and Vienna Philharmonic), Joseph Alessi (New York Philharmonic) and Dave Taylor (NY Recording Artist), Doug Yeo & Ron Barron (Boston Symphony), Roger Bobo (International Tuba Soloist) and the world famous Canadian Brass.
Upon leaving the RNCM Garrath has led a busy and diverse musical life performing with many different ensembles. He has worked with the Hallé Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Swan, Hallé Brass 10tet, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Andy Prior Big Band, Underdog Ensemble, Remix Ensemble (Portugal), Holland America Cruise Line Big Band, The Royal Variety Performance Orchestra in 2005 (Cardiff), 2007 (Liverpool) & 2009 (Blackpool), Dame Shirley Bassey's Orchestra, the British Philharmonic Orchestra, Ensemble11, Sinfonia Cymru, Welsh Chamber Orchestra, Bluejuice Big Band, Georgina Bromlow Big Band, the Nelson Riddle Tribute Orchestra, and the Equale Trombone Quartet. Pro Theatre Orchestra Productions include - Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story and 42nd Street as well as performing in the BBC Voice of Music Theatre Orchestra.
Closer to home Garrath taught brass instruments for local education authorities in Bradford, Leeds and Calderdale, and has previously been a guest trombone tutor at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music, in Manchester. Garrath has also previously worked as a guest brass tutor for MeninVonk music in Dublin, Ireland and has had the pleasure of coaching chamber ensembles and brass sections throughout the UK, Europe and further afield.
In 2010 Garrath was awarded the PGCE music teaching qualification by the University of Huddersfield and has worked in music education as the Head of Music at Ecclesfield school in Sheffield, before accepting his current role as the Head of Music at Saddleworth School in 2014 - a position he still enjoys immensely. In 2016 Garrath was awarded the Outstanding Achievement award by One Community UK at the annual Oldham Education awards for presenting outstanding musical opportunities for the young musicians of Saddleworth School - building, nurturing and strengthening relationships with numerous professional ensembles, musicians and arts organisations.
Outside of the classroom Garrath is the bass trombonist of Flat Cap Brass a funky, poppy, drum n brass seven piece band from Yorkshire, he regularly performs with The World Famous Elvis Show and he is the bass trombonist of Sheffield's very own Brigantes Orchestra. Garrath is the low brass tutor for the City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra - a position he takes great pride in and enjoys immensely.
Passionate about the future of brass playing in the North of England (and beyond) Garrath is committed to delivering high quality brass tuition to his students building excellent technique, designing and developing practice programmes, setting / achieving musical goals and working on a variety of repertoire in preparation for examinations and conservatoire auditions.
Garrath is very excited to be working with the talented young trombonists at Sheffield Music Academy and looks forward to the future as the brass department grows and strengthens.