Simon Estell

Simon Estell grew up in Yorkshire and started to play the bassoon at the age of seven. He studied with Stephen Reay in Newcastle and then spent a year at Leeds College of Music with Sebastian New before moving to the Royal Academy of Music to study bassoon with John Orford and Gareth Newman, and contrabassoon with David Chatterton.

After enjoying a freelance career for some years, he joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 2002 as Principal Contrabassoon.