José Vicente Castelló, Pacho Flores and Ross Knight join as International Visiting Tutors

We’re delighted to announce that José Vicente Castelló, Pacho Flores and Ross Knight are joining our School of Wind, Brass and Percussion as International Visiting Tutors in French Horn, Trumpet and Tuba respectively.

First Horn with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, José Vicente Castelló is Professor of Horn at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany, and the ESMUC in Barcelona, Spain. He has performed and collaborated with leading orchestras worldwide and has been Artistic Director of the Musics en Residencia festival in Alella since 2010.

A product of Venezuela’s ground-breaking El Sistema system of youth and children’s orchestras, Pacho Flores is Principal Trumpet with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, a founding member of the Simón Bolívar Brass Quintet, and founding director of the Latin-American Trumpet Academy in Venezuela. He has also worked as Principal Trumpet with the Saito Kinen Orchestra in Japan and the Miami Symphony Orchestra and has an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon.

Hailing from Carnoustie in Scotland, Ross Knight has been Solo Tuba of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva since 2016. He’s also held the position of Principal Tuba with both the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester and European Union Youth Orchestra, and has performed with orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, Philharmonia, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Tonhalle, hr-Sinfonieorchester, Deutsches Symphonie, and Bournemouth Symphony. No stranger to the British Brass Band movement, Ross has appeared as soloist with Brighouse and Rastrick, Grimethorpe and Tredegar Brass Bands including performances at the RNCM Festival of Brass.

José, Pacho and Ross already have great connections to the College, having worked with students in the past. Now, as International Visiting Tutors, they will visit regularly to enhance the provision provided by our School of Wind, Brass and Percussion.

Murray Greig, Head of School and Director of Brass said: ‘Our International Visiting Tutors provide an integral part of the learning opportunities for our students. They all bring with them a wealth of expertise, performance excellence and are a great source of inspiration. I am delighted to be able to welcome José, Pacho and Ross to our team.’

17 October 2022