It's all change for well-known trombonist, conductor and teacher, Chris Houlding.

German appointment

As a result of his appointment as Professor of Trombone and Brass Ensemble at the Folkwang Hochschule, Essen, Germany, Chris has left his position as Principal Trombone with the Orchestra of Opera North after twenty seven years.

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He will continue in the post of Senior Tutor in Brass at the RNCM Manchester leaving more time to pursue conducting projects and solo/masterclass appearances.

Following his recent appearance at the Eastern Trombone Workshop in Washington DC, Chris is now in the process of completing a duet album featuring internationally well-known colleagues due for release later this year4BR

CD release

To coincide, his debut solo album entitled Houlding his own is issued this month on the SRC label, featuring a mixture of newly commissioned and standard works for trombone.

Following his recent appearance at the Eastern Trombone Workshop in Washington DC, Chris is now in the process of completing a duet album featuring internationally well-known colleagues due for release later this year.

As conductor, Chris has recently directed the RNCM Brass Band (2008 Festival of Brass) and the Prinsens Musikkorps Brass Band, a sixteen-piece, professional military band from Denmark.

Wagner

Chris told 4BR: "This fine ensemble combines annually with senior students from the Arhus Musik Academy and featured a programme of opera extracts including Alexander Owen's legendry arrangement of Wagner's 'Die Valküre'."

Rare

Chris added: "The event concluded with a rare and fascinating selection from Puccini's 'Tosca' by Australian conductor and arranger, Hugh MacMahon. Dating from the early part of the twentieth century, Hugh MacMahon shared many similarities with Owen and thanks to Australian band enthusiast, John Bentley, several brilliantly orchestrated manuscripts of operas by Verdi and Puccini are now available in print."