John Burden

British classical (orchestral & chamber) hornist (French Horn), Professor of French Horn, and author. Born on April 13, 1921 in London, England, UK - Died on October 31, 2010 in Wiltshire, England, UK. He entered the Royal Academy of Music aged 18. Before he could conclude his studies, World War II broke out and joined The Central Band Of The Royal Air Force. After demobilization, he was invited to join the London Symphony Orchestra in 1946, as its 2nd Horn. Two years later he was appointed Principal Horn. He resigned in 1954. In 1955, he was a member of the group, which set up The Sinfonia of London. He left the orchestra in 1958 and joined the Virtuoso Chamber Ensemble. The following year, he founded the London Horn Trio with the violinist Lionel Bentley and the pianist Celia Arieli. He met Yehudi Menuhin during recording sessions in London and was invited to become Principal Horn of the Bath Festival Orchestra (later the Menuhin Festival Orchestra). He retired from playing in 1979 and took up a position as Professor at the Trinity College Of Music, London, where he taught until 1988. Two years later, he accepted an ivitation to teach at Ballymena Academy, and he remained there until his retirement in 2005. He published the book "Horn Playing, A New Approach". John worked with Georg Solti, Sir Malcom Sargent, Josef Krips, André Previn, Sir Colin Davis, and Malcom Arnold among others, played on soundtracks for about twenty years, and participated in the recordings of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" as performer and co-arranger.