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4BR Monday Interview with Frank Mathison

The great brass musician Frank Mathison performs his final chord aged 93 as he retires from playing...

Mathison
  Frank Mathison has enjoyed a remarkable musical career.

Can't see the audio player below? Visit soundcloud.com/4barsrest

4BR Editor Iwan Fox chats to 93 year old Frank Mathison, who has decided to retire from playing after enjoying a truly remarkable musical career.

He talks about how he started playing somewhat by accident — and on cornet — before he got fed up in the army and decided to change instrument. Given the choice of a bassoon or an old G Trombone — he chose the latter.

And with that he went on to enjoy performing with the City of Birmingham and the London Symphony Orchestra — the latter for 30 years under some of the greatest orchestral conductors of the century — including Georg Solti.

He looks back on his career as well as the future, which he hopes will include coming to listen to the bands at the Yorkshire Regional Championships in 2022.

Image: Lorne Campbell

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