Gwilym Simcock.html |
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Gwilym Simcock (born 24 February 1981 in Bangor, Gwynedd) is a British jazz pianist and composer. Holder of a first-class honours degree from the Royal Academy of Music, London and a Perrier Award winner, Simcock has been rated as one of the most exciting musicians of his generation in the UK.
At the age of eleven he attained the highest marks in the country for his Associated Board Grade 8 exams - on both piano and French horn. Introduced to jazz whilst at Chetham's School, Manchester by Pianist & teacher Les Chisnall and Bassist & teacher Steve Berry. He then went on to study jazz piano at The Royal Academy of Music, London with teachers John Taylor, Nikki Iles, Nick Weldon and Geoff Keezer. He graduated from the Royal Academy with a first-class honours degree and the coveted 'Principal's Prize' for outstanding achievement.
Despite his youth, he has already played with the cream of the London scene, including Kenny Wheeler, Tim Garland, Stan Sulzmann, Iain Ballamy, Julian Argüelles, Pete King, Don Weller and Steve Waterman, as well as leading his own groups, ranging from a trio to a forty-piece ensemble featuring choir and chamber string orchestra.
Simcock was a member of the winning Perrier Young Jazz Ensemble in 2001, and has played with the BBC Big Band and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) on both French horn and piano. He is a past winner of the Rising Star award at the BBC Jazz Awards, and winner of the British Jazz Awards 2005 in the same category.
He toured with Kenny Wheeler on French horn in 2003, and on piano in January 2005 - when his fellow musicians included Dave Holland, Evan Parker and Lee Konitz. In May 2005, Simcock performed the premiere of Tim Garland’s piano concerto with the Northern Sinfonia. He has also toured extensively throughout the world having played in Japan, Mexico, Russia, Scandinavia and elsewhere. He now plays with Bill Bruford's Earthworks band.