Stephen Marsden
Born 1965 in Bury, Lancashire, Stephen Marsden
began his bassoon studies aged ten with Charles Cracknell,
principal bassoon with the Halle Orchestra, first privately and
then as a student at the Junior Department at the RNCM. He
continued his studies as a pupil at Chetham`s School of Music in
Manchester from 1981-1983 with David Chatwin, principal with the
BBC Philharmonic, and also with Martin Gatt, principal with the
LSO. In 1983 he was awarded a scholarship to study at the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Martin Gatt and Graham
Sheen of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
From 1979 to 1983 was a member and principal
bassoon of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and from
1984-1985 a member of the European Youth Orchestra. Also in
1985, he was a finalist in the Shell/LSO woodwind scholarship, and
a prize winner with the British Wind Quintet at the Internationaler
Musikwettbewerb, Munich.
In 1986 Stephen was appointed principal
bassoon with the orchestra of Welsh National Opera. Since joining
the WNO, he has also played as a freelance guest principal with
RLPO, CBSO, BBC NOW, RSNO, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. He has
also performed as a soloist on many occasions in concertos by
Mozart, Weber, Hummel, Berwald, Vivaldi and Strauss.