Peter Francomb

Peter Francomb

Section Leader, Horn

Peter Francomb began playing the horn at the age of ten. His early studies were with Ifor James and Ron Harris in London. Early performing experience was gained with the Brighton Youth Orchestra. In 1974, he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Douglas Moore. In 1976 at the International Festival of Youth Orchestras, he won the Van Cliburn Foundation Scholarship, which paid for an additional year’s tuition with David Cripps and Tony Halstead at the Guildhall School of Music.

On leaving college, Peter worked for ten years as a freelance player in London, working as guest principal horn with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra of Europe, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Academy of St. Martin in the Field. He also worked with the London Symphony, Philharmonia and English National Opera Orchestras. In the field of chamber music, he has worked with the Nash and was a member of the Prometheus Ensemble. For the last 21 years he has been a member of the Albion Ensemble with whom he has made various recordings.

In the field of modern music, he has played with The Fires of London, Music Projects London and Lontano.

In 1988 he was invited to become principal horn of Northern Sinfonia. With them, he has performed all four Mozart concerti, Haydn concerto, both Strauss concerti (no.2 for BBC Radio 3) and Giovanni Punto concerto no.5, also for Radio 3. In 1992 Peter was asked to perform the Punto at the International Horn Convention in Manchester, and he subsequently recorded this and three other concertos for Pan Classics with the Sinfonia.

Peter has worked regularly as guest principal with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Chamber
Orchestra of Europe and with Opera North.

Peter has performed Brahms Horn Trio with Tasmin Little and Jean Bernard Pommier, Strauss 2 and Haydn’s 1st Concerto with David Haslam and Mozart 4 with Paul McCreesh. In summer 2000, Peter performed Schumann Koncertstuck with Simon Wright, two performances of the Britten Serenade with Mark Padmore and Ian Partridge and Mozart 4 with Richard Hickox.