June 12th, 7.30pm, All Saints’ Church Saxophone & Piano

This concert is presented in association with the Kirckman Concert Society, which acknowledges support from the Lankelly Chase Foundation. It is also sponsored by The Blue Boar and assisted by Empire Pianos, Braintree  

John Barker reached the National Finals of BBC Young Musicians in 1998, and has received numerous awards for his solo and chamber performances. Winner of the Royal College of Music Saxophone Prize and the Clarinet and Saxophone Society Young Players Competition, he has also reached the finals of the Royal Overseas League Competition and the Young Concert Artists Trust. In 2005 he received the Making Music Young Concert Artist Award.

As a foundation scholar at the Royal College of Music, he studied with Kyle Horch and Martin Robertson, achieving his Masters with distinction. His studies were supported by the Musicians Benevolent Fund (Ian Fleming Award) and the Countess of Munster Musical Trust and included five months at the Hochschule der Kuenste, Berlin, as part of the Erasmus Exchange Programme. He received the Marjorie and Dorothy Whyte Memorial Prize for an outstanding graduate in 2003.

He has performed extensively on the late Yehudi Menuhin's Live Music Now! scheme with the Tempest Saxophone Quartet with whom he also took part in the Park Lane Group series at the Purcell Room. He has also worked with the Southbank Sinfonia and the New Professionals ensemble.

Tim Sidford was awarded an Associated Board Scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music where he took his Degree and a Postgraduate Diploma (gaining Distinction), studying with John Barstow and Niel Immelman.  During his time there he won four of the College prizes for Piano and Chamber Music.

As soloist and Chamber Musician Tim has performed in London at the Purcell Room, St. Martin-in-the-fields, St. James’ Piccadilly and Leighton House. He has appeared extensively throughout the UK as well as in Germany, Holland and the Czech Republic and has worked with the Tagore String Trio and the Fiorente Piano Quartet.

Tim enjoys working with children and is currently a piano teacher at Frensham Heights School, Glendower Prep School and Fulham Prep School. He accompanies the Fulham Prep Chamber Choir who won the title of BBC Radio 3 Childrens  Choir of the Year 2006.