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Simon de Souza (horn) studied with the international virtuoso Ifor James at Colchester Institute, where he also won many prizes for chamber music, before going on to a post-graduate year at Trinity College of Music. Since leaving college, Simon’s career has encompassed a wide variety of freelance playing: as a recital and concerto soloist, in orchestras including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Bolshoi Ballet (though only as a horn player!), London's West End and touring shows, many chamber groups and, of course, Chaconne Brass! Simon is also among the most highly regarded teachers of the horn in Britain, holding specialist posts at Wells Cathedral School, the Junior department of the Royal Academy of Music, and acting as a consultant and coach to many other establishments and organisations. Most recently he has been appointed to the horn teaching staff at the Birmingham Conservatoire. He also writes extensively on horn playing and teaching matters and is Vice-Chairman of the British Horn Society. When not playing the horn he reads, cooks, cycles, makes highly detailed models of railways and follows the ups, and downs, of Reading Football Club.