Simon Carrington

Chair supported by Victoria Robey OBE

Simon Carrington is the Principal Timpanist of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, a position he has held since 2002. He studied at the Royal College of Music and in 1988 was awarded the Gold Medal in the Shell/LSO Competition, going on to join the LSO in 1991 and becoming Principal Timpani & Percussion in 1995.

He has played as guest timpanist with all the symphony orchestras in London and others including the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, English Chamber Orchestra and the World Orchestra for Peace.

As a soloist he has performed Martinů’s Double Concerto for Piano and Timpani with pianist Catherine Edwards and the LPO/Jurowski, and with Neil Percy gave the world premiere of Philip Cashian’s double concerto Night Journeys. Simon also featured playing marimba in the world premiere of Sofia Gubaidulina’s Canticle of the Sun with Rostropovich, as well as playing marimba and vibraphone in a number of Steve Reich’s works with the LPO and LSO including Sextet, Three Movements and Music for 18 Musicians.

Simon also plays with the LSO Percussion Ensemble and transcribed and arranged Makoto Ozone/Gary Burton’s Kato’s Revenge and Chick Corea/Gary Burton’s Duet Suite especially for them, both of which were recorded and been issued on CD. He also enjoys composing and arranging for brass ensemble and his pieces have been performed and recorded by LPO Brass and London Brass. Simon is also Professor of Timpani at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

In his spare time Simon enjoys playing and following cricket as well as slalom water skiing.