Myra Brownbridge
Biography Myra Brownbridge
Myra Brownbridge
has always been drawn to music and creativity whether that be singing, tickling the keys of a piano or plucking the strings of a guitar. However, when she discovered the dusty old double bass hidden in the corner of her school music department and the welcoming faces of the jazz band, led by Phil Meadows, she began to delve into the world of jazz and discovered the strong sense of community that jazz has to offer. Guided along the way by the wealth of jazz education programmes London has to offer and the new friends she made there, her musical exploration really began.
After less than a year studying the double bass, she was offered a place at the Purcell School for Young Musicians studying classically, she then followed on to Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study with Colin Paris. In the summer before starting at Guildhall, she was awarded a place at Jazz House Kids Summer school under the tutelage of Christian McBride and other legendary musicians and tutors such as Marcus Printup. Just like that, to quote Gary Crosby she “caught the bug” and thankfully, there is no cure. She transferred to study at Trinity Laban with Steve Watts, Calum Gourlay and Paul Westwood graduating in 2021. Upon graduating, Myra was awarded Trinity Laban’s Innovation Award and the Ed Renshaw Award to record her debut album with my band comprised of some of the UK's finest musicians: Tom Ollendorff, Matthew Holmes, George Garford and special guest feature, Tony Kofi. Myra's band have performed at respected UK venues including The Vortex, Jazz Live at the Crypt, Woolwich Works and The Spotted Dog.
Myra has been commissioned to write a new composition which premiered at Hull Jazz Festival 2022 written in collaboration with the young, talented members of the NYJO Humberside Academy. She finds working in music education and community workshops incredibly rewarding and is passionate about the key role music can play in connecting us to ourselves and our communities.
Some of her career highlights to date include performing with Tony Kofi in various Thelonious Monk projects at venues such as Ronnie Scott’s, Band on the Wall and Jazz Café, touring with Zara McFarlane in Germany, joining the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain for legs of their UK tour and a Tomorrow’s Warriors collaboration performing the music of Duke Ellington alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra and Nu Civilisation Orchestra.
