Who is Imogen Whitehead? Principal trumpeter of the Britten Sinfonia
I first worked as a guest player with Britten Sinfonia in 2021. Their adventurous programming, world-class playing and welcoming atmosphere meant that it quickly became one of my favourite places to work. So, when they invited me to join the orchestra as principal trumpet in August 2023, it felt like a dream come true.
Imogen Whitehead... How did she become a professional trumpet player?
My playing journey up to this point has been full of exciting milestones, as well as a few interesting challenges. I was fortunate to grow up in a musical family, attending a primary school where music was prioritised and well-resourced, and I was taught by excellent and passionate music teachers. From the age of 14-18 I was a member of the Thames Youth Orchestra. In 2011 they commissioned the eminent composer Stephen Dodgson to write a concerto for me, sparking my love of contemporary music. I went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where I was encouraged in my ambition to pursue both an orchestral and solo career.
In my orchestral career so far, I’ve enjoyed working with ensembles such as the London Symphony Orchestra (including at the BBC Proms), English National Opera and Royal Northern Sinfonia, amongst others. As a soloist, I perform regular recitals and concerti across the UK and abroad, and have recently released my debut solo album, Connection, recorded with Britten Sinfonia and pianist Jennifer Walsh.
Imogen Whitehead... Challenges on the road to success
There have been various challenging moments in my career, but I’ve always found them to lead to new opportunities. In 2015, I had planned to undertake a postgraduate course in Germany. My funding was in place and the audition was made to feel like a formality. However, after my audition, I was told that there were fewer places available on the course than initially thought, and that, unfortunately, I hadn’t been offered one.
This left me in a state of limbo, so I submitted a last-minute application to Southbank Sinfonia (now Sinfonia Smith Square). Thankfully, this audition was successful. Over the following year I gained a huge amount of orchestral experience and I also performed as a soloist with the orchestra. Then, in 2016, I was given the chance to redirect some of my postgraduate funding from the Royal Philharmonic Society towards studying privately in Oslo with renowned soloist Tine Thing Helseth. These invaluable experiences set me on the path to my dream, balanced career of solo and orchestral playing.
Challenging stereotypes of women brass players
My appointment at Britten Sinfonia felt like a real turning point. As far as I’m aware, I was the first woman in almost 20 years to be offered a position in the trumpet section of any major UK orchestra. Since then, there have been a number of exciting, female, orchestral appointments and it seems as though the tide is turning.
Despite recent progress, there remains an under-representation of women in brass sections of major UK orchestras. This issue is, perhaps, rooted in the historical and cultural perceptions of brass playing as a male-dominated field. Brass bands, for example, were originally tied to colliery communities where the vast majority of players were men. There have also been previous misconceptions about a woman’s physical ability to play a brass instrument, and the idea that women lack the strength or stamina to play at the same level as their male counterparts has been a long-standing barrier.
Women brass players... Changing attitudes
However, these stereotypes are gradually being broken down. I’ve witnessed a culture shift within the orchestral world, thanks in part to a new generation of brass players - both male and female - who are fostering a more inclusive and supportive atmosphere. With a growing pool of outstanding female freelancers, and more women being appointed to prestigious orchestral positions, I believe we’re witnessing the beginning of a significant cultural change.
Thanks to these changes, the visibility of female role models in the brass world is vastly improving. I’m delighted to be an associate performer and mentor for GALSI (Gender And the Large and Shiny Instruments), an initiative promoting gender equality in brass and percussion. I’m also particularly excited by brass initiatives like that of Thetford Academy. The school currently has no female brass players, so it has acquired 30 trumpets to be used exclusively by female students, actively working to redress the gender imbalance in their brass community. I’m looking forward to meeting these students when I visit Thetford Academy in May - in collaboration with Britten Sinfonia - ahead of my performances of Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto with the orchestra.
Imogen Whitehead... Visibility is key
With the release of my debut solo album, Connection, and my upcoming concerto performances with Britten Sinfonia in May, I’m using this moment not only to showcase my work as a trumpet player but also to spotlight these important conversations. Visibility is key: it’s important for young players to see women in prominent roles and to normalise the presence of women in brass playing, so that hopefully in future it’s not such a rarity.
My advice to young players regardless of gender, would be: go for it! The trumpet is such an enjoyable instrument to play, with its rich, expressive sound and versatility of genre. When I was younger, I felt self-conscious about playing at full volume, worrying about going red in the face. However, now I embrace it. If I’m red-faced, it means I’m giving it my all and playing something exciting!
The landscape of brass playing is evolving, and women all around the world are proving that brass playing is for everyone. In fact, I believe that women may even have a natural advantage, as the trumpet - which is a very vocal instrument - is pitched in the same register as the female voice. In my opinion, the more diverse voices we have in brass playing, the better the culture and the music-making will be for us all.
Imogen Whitehead performs Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto with Britten Sinfonia at Norwich Cathedral (24 May) and Saffron Hall (26 May). Tickets at www.brittensinfonia.com/events/britten-sinfonia-with-imogen-whitehead. The new album, Connection, is out 25 April.