Co-Principal Trumpet
Mike Allen was born in Todmorden, Lancashire. He started playing the cornet at the age of seven and soon joined his local brass band, becoming Principal Cornet at the age of ten. A few years later, he joined the world-famous Black Dyke Mills Band.
Whilst at Black Dyke, Mike studied for a degree in music at Huddersfield Polytechnic, later moving to London to study trumpet with John Wallace and David Mason at the Royal College of Music.
As a student, Mike was Principal Trumpet with the European Community Youth Orchestra and has since worked with many of the UK’s symphony and chamber orchestras. His solo performances include Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto and Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No.1 for piano, trumpet and strings with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Mike combines his position as Co-Principal Trumpet of the RPO with the position of Principal Trumpet of the orchestra of the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
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