Angus West

Angus West started playing the horn at the age of eleven and after having lessons with Eric Stevenson and Hugh Potts (both former horns of the Northern Sinfonia Orchestra), went to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in 1978.

Whilst in Manchester, Angus studied with Michael Purton, (1st Horn with the Halle Orchestra) and began a busy freelance career, working with the Halle, BBC Northern/Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Northern Sinfonia Orchestras.

Angus started his first job, 3rd horn with Opera North, in 1982, before moving on to the Halle Orchestra as Assistant Principal Horn in 1986. Following trial periods with the London Symphony and Scottish National Orchestras, Angus took up his current employment as Principal Horn and Section Leader with Welsh National Opera in 1990.

As a soloist Angus has performed Mozart’s 2nd and 3rd concertos as well as the Symphonia Concertante and 4th concerto with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. Angus has also performed the Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings in Bradford, Brecon, and Milton Keynes as well as with the Bochum Symphony Orchestra in Germany. In addition, Angus has performed Strauss’s 1st concerto and the Gliere concerto with the City of Cardiff Symphony Orchestra.

Angus has taught the French Horn at Chetham’s School of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music, the Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.