Exciting News!

I am so pleased to be able to share the news that I have been appointed Principal Trumpet of Britten Sinfonia.

Britten Sinfonia is a leading chamber orchestra and I’ve been working regularly as a guest player with them for the past two years, performing works such as Handel’s Messiah, Brett Dean’s Pastoral Symphony and Lamentate by Arvo Pärt.

“Britten Sinfonia is heralded as one of the world’s leading ensembles and its philosophy of adventure and reinvention has inspired a new movement of emerging chamber groups. It is an Associate Ensemble at London’s Barbican, Resident Orchestra at Saffron Hall in Essex and has residencies in Norwich and Cambridge. It performs an annual chamber music series at London’s Wigmore Hall and appears regularly at major UK festivals including the Aldeburgh, Brighton, Norfolk & Norwich Festivals and the BBC Proms.”

Click here or read below for Britten Sinfonia’s official announcement:

“As our much-admired and long-standing Principal Trumpet Paul Archibald steps down from the role, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Imogen Whitehead.

Imogen has worked with Britten Sinfonia as Guest Principal Trumpet on many recent projects and brings experience of working in the same role with London Mozart Players, English National Opera and Aurora Orchestra.

Meurig Bowen, Britten Sinfonia’s CEO and Artistic Director, says of this appointment: "Paul Archibald’s contribution to Britten Sinfonia over many years has been immense, and we will be sad to say farewell to him in this role. When playing in his place over the last couple of years, Imogen Whitehead has impressed everyone in the ranks of Britten Sinfonia. As one of our principal players said recently: 'She can play big and throw it out when she needs to, but has a particularly sweet and beautiful sound that blends and flexes brilliantly to all the different repertoire we do.' The enthusiasm with which Imogen will be welcomed to the Britten Sinfonia membership is also captured by the words of another longstanding principal player: 'She’s a perfect fit.'”

Imogen Whitehead says: “I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed Principal Trumpet of Britten Sinfonia. I was made to feel so welcome from the very first time I played with the orchestra and I have always enjoyed their imaginative and varied projects. I’m excited to be joining such a prestigious chamber orchestra and look forward to the new season and beyond.”