Who We Are - Cobalt Brass

Who We Are.

Our Story.

Formed in 2015, Cobalt Brass is a versatile ensemble that prides itself in being different. Made up of a group of friends that met whilst studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester (UK), our genre bending approach to the brass quintet medium offers a unique opportunity to explore sound-worlds beyond the realms of ‘traditional’ chamber music.

Joseph Martin, Trumpet.

Joe was born in Harrogate and began playing cornet at the age of 8. At 16, under the tuition of legendary cornet player James Shepherd, Joe successfully auditioned for a place in the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. He then went onto successfully audition for a place at the Royal Northern College of Music two years later, where he has enjoyed playing in a wide range of ensembles, studying trumpet under the tuition of Rhys Owens and Steve Berry.

Outside of college, Joe has relished the opportunity to work with established performers, such as Cory Wong from Vulfpeck, Those Magic Beans, The Orchestra of Opera North and The Leyland Band. He is also part of exciting original projects across Manchester, such as Salsa Norte and the Skylark Jazz Band.

Adam Bidgood, Trumpet.

Adam is a freelance trumpeter based in Manchester, and is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, where he studied under Gareth Small and John Dickinson.

Originally from Buckinghamshire, Adam gained a scholarship to the Amersham Music Centre and performed with the Buckinghamshire County Youth Orchestra, as well as the English Schools Orchestra before moving to Manchester to continue his studies. Whilst coming from a predominantly classical background, Adam also has a large experience of performing funk, ska, jazz and musical theatre.

Since graduating, Adam has enjoyed a varied career of performance with professional orchestras including the Hallé Orchestra and Opera North, as well as performing with bands across the UK and exciting projects such as the Ignition Orchestra.

Kieran Lyster, French Horn.

Kieran was born and raised in Portsmouth, Hampshire and performed with the Hampshire County Youth Orchestra for four years. In 2014 he was awarded an entrance scholarship to study French Horn at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester under the tutelage of Lindsey Stoker and Timothy Jackson, and from there he was involved in a variety of exciting projects and ensembles.

With Cobalt Brass, Kieran discovered his love for chamber music and specifically the brass quintet medium. As well as being active in the world of chamber music, Kieran has performed with professional orchestras across the country, including the English National Ballet Philharmonic and the Hallé Orchestra.

Jack Rowlands, Trombone.

Originating from a small village in the Northwest of England, Jack is a recent graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, where he spent four years studying trombone under the direction of Simon Cowen and Robert Holliday. During this time, he played in many high profile settings, a particular highlight being the 2016 BBC Last Night of the Proms, held at the Royal Albert Hall.

As well as regularly appearing with a variety of orchestras and bands across the United Kingdom, Jack also enjoys creating new music, using his experiences as a performer as a starting point to explore exciting new ideas.

Conall Gormley, Tuba.

Conall grew up in Belfast, studying tuba with Steve Irvine at the City of Belfast School of Music. It was there that he was awarded the Charles Gault Family Trophy and the McCarrison Trophy before then moving to Manchester to study at the Royal Northern College of Music.

At the RNCM, under the tutelage of Ewan Easton and Brian Kingsley, Conall performed in various orchestras and ensembles and furthered his love for chamber music. Conall also regularly performs with different bands and orchestras across the U.K. and Ireland.

Our Logo.

Designed in collaboration with the Manchester-based graphic designer, Ben Jac, our new-look logo was unveiled to the public on the 1st January 2021.

It is made up of two main elements; a visually expressive icon which sees our initials (c b) take the form of a brass instrument, and a much more understated rendering of our full name.

To see more of Ben’s work, you can visit his website: www.benjacdesign.com