Richard Watkins
is one of the most sought- after horn players of his generation. He was Principal Horn of the Philharmonia Orchestra for twelve years, and is currently a member of the Nash Ensemble and a founder member of London Winds.

Richard has appeared at many of the world’s most prestigious venues in the UK, Europe and the USA, and has worked with conductors such as Giulini, Sawallisch, Salonen, Sinopoli, Rozhdestvensky, Sir Andrew Davis and Sir Mark Elder. In recital, he regularly performs with singers such as John Mark Ainsley, Ian Bostridge and Mark Padmore, and with pianists Barry Douglas, Julius Drake, Paul Lewis, Roger Vignoles and Ian Brown.

Closely associated with promoting contemporary music for the horn, Richard has given premieres of concertos by Maxwell Davies, Osborne, Lindberg, Muldowney, LeFanu, and both Colin and David Matthews. Recent premieres have included Colin Matthews’ Horn Concerto and Trio, quintets by James MacMillan, David Matthews and Mark-Anthony Turnage, and trios by Huw Watkins, Alexander Goehr and Gerald Barry.

Richard Watkins has a long association with Aldeburgh Music, first performing Britten’s Serenade with Sir Peter Pears in 1983. Since then he has appeared regularly as soloist and recitalist, performing concertos by Colin Matthews and Oliver Knussen as well as Britten’s Serenade, Canticles and works for solo horn. He has been actively involved with the Britten-Pears School, coaching and giving master-classes. He has also recorded Britten’s Serenade with Allan Clayton and Aldeburgh Strings, and recently directed the inaugural Britten-Pears Brass Week.

Richard Watkins holds the Dennis Brain Chair of Horn Playing at the Royal Academy of Music, where he is also a Fellow. His extensive discography includes recordings of concertos by Mozart, Malcolm Arnold, Glière, Ethel Smyth and Colin Matthews, as well as Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante and chamber music for horn by Schumann, Schubert and Poulenc. Recent releases include the Britten Canticles with Mark Padmore (Wigmore Live), Edward Gregson’s Horn Concerto with the BBC Philharmonic (Chandos) and Alexander Goehr’s Largo Siciliano (NMC D187).