Soloist profile: Zoë Perkins

The Soloist for our Christmas Concert on Saturday December 14 2019 is Zoë Perkins.

Zoë began her musical career at the age of 7 playing the cornet but soon moved to playing the trumpet when she began lessons with Cambridge based teacher Michel Sedgwick. In 2013 Zoë commenced her studies at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department in February 2013 where she was taught by David Price. In her final year she was invited to perform the Arutiunian Trumpet Concerto with the symphony orchestra in the Dukes Hall July 2016 after being awarded First Prize in the Concerto Competition. 

Zoë gained a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in 2015 and was awarded the principal trumpet seat the following year. While a member of the orchestra she performed in many prestigious venues such as the Barbican, the Royal Festival Hall, the Bridge Water Hall, the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Leeds Town Hall, the Sage Gateshead and the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms. In her final year she took part in a Chandos Recording of Holst’s The Planets in Birmingham Symphony hall conducted by Edward Gardner. 

Zoë was one of five brass finalists in the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016 competition , the initial field consisting of over 400 members. She was praised for her challenging repertoire choices and sensitive playing. 

Zoë is now in her third year at the Royal Academy of Music s as an undergraduate ABRSM scholar studying the trumpet with Mark David and the natural trumpet with John Hutchins. During her time at the academy so far Zoë has enjoyed performing with the symphony orchestra and the Symphonic Brass ensemble. She has performed in many masterclasses with an array of prestigious professors including Urban Agnas, Eric Aubier, Jeroen Berwearts, Rienhold Freidrich and Huw Morgan.

Other solo performances include a solo set at the Coronation Hall in Ulverston alongside Jess Gillam and other finalists from the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016. She has also performed the Haydn Trumpet concerto with the LSE Orchestra in the Church of St Clemant Danes Strand as well as another performance of the Haydn the following year with the London based orchestra Medico, a newly formed group representing the NHS. Other performances include lunchtime recitals in and around Cambridge/London and an afternoon recital at The American Cathedral in Paris for Les Arts George V.

Zoë also participated in the “Citti de Porcia Competition” in Italy November 2018 and is due to perform the Neruda Trumpet Concerto at St Martin in the Fields in May 2020.