Tom Hammond

Tom Hammond was chosen in 2006 to become Sir Charles Mackerras Conducting Fellow at Trinity College of Music following his prestigious invitation in 2005 by Finnish Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen as one of only twenty conductors worldwide to participate in the Sibelius International Conductor’s Competition in Helsinki, offering the opportunity to work with the Finnish Radio Symphony and Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestras and conducting some of the most challenging works in the repertoire.

Tom has drawn on his experience as a professional performer of symphonic, chamber and early music to win admiration from composers, critics and the public. World Premieres include Vagn Holmboe’s Prelude to a Living Stone and Matthew Taylor’s Symphony No. 3. Tom also gave the UK Premiere of JPE Hartmann’s Overture to Yrsa and only the second UK performance of Sibelius’ Suite for Violin & Strings with soloist Mia Cooper, leader of the RTE Concert Orchestra.

Tom’s passion for Scandinavian and Nordic music led to his Artistic Directorship of the 1997 London/Danish Music Festival during which he conducted a performance of Carl Nielsen’s Concerto for Violin & Orchestra with the Norwegian soloist Marianne Thorsen, leader of the Nash Ensemble. Tom has also worked for the Finnish Institute to promote collaborative projects between British and Finnish Musicians. Between 1998 and 2001 Tom was Assistant Conductor of Bristol’s Brunel Ensemble and has been a regular guest conductor with Trinity College of Music since 2004, conducting both the Sinfonia and Symphony Orchestras. In October Tom will be conducting Carl Nielsen’s epic 5^th Symphony with the TCM Symphony Orchestra.

In 2000 Tom was Musical Director for the ENO/Bayliss Programme/1stFramework production of Weill’s Threepenny Opera with performances given across London and at Berlin’s UFA-Fabrik in conjunction with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Tom Hammond is Artistic Director and a founding member of sound collective (an Associate Ensemble at TCM) which is formed of members of the leading British orchestras such as the Philharmonia, LSO, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Ballet Sinfonia and English National Opera. The ensemble’s key ethos of increased dedication to rehearsal time, intelligent programming and democratic music making has won many admirers including John McCabe C.B.E and Dr David Matthews. The ensemble recently appointed Swiss composer Richard Dubugnon as its second Composer in Association and look forward to appearances at the Tunbridge Wells International Festival and Little Missenden Festivals during the current season. Future projects include a cross-arts project for the Jackdaws musical education trust based on Stravinsky’s Histoire du Soldat in collaboration with sound collective’s education partners, Rhythmically Speaking.

Tom also works with non-professional ensembles including Surrey Brass, the City of Southampton Orchestra, Copenhagen Amateur Symphony Orchestra and University orchestras of Oxford and Royal Holloway College.

A notable element of his association with Surrey Brass is the performance of music to accompany silent films. The films were made at the turn of the 19th century in Walton on Thames by local cinematographer Cecil Hepworth who was one of the leading figures of the UK film industry in the years before Hollywood became pre-eminent. Hammond conducted new music by John Hughes and Rob Davies live in concert in the last remaining building of the Hepworth studios, now the Walton Playhouse.

Biographical note by Helen Radice, July 2006 updated by John Goodwin October 2006

Press Comments

“…translucent, nuanced and vivid…”

Helsinki Sannomat

“…fine support by the Helios Sinfonia and Tom Hammond…other recitals risked paling by comparison.”

The Strad

“…ably conducted by Tom Hammond…dynamic and colourful…very convincingly played…”

The Independent

“…a sterling performance…conducted with élan by Tom Hammond…”

Tempo Magazine

“…disciplined handling…as assured and finely prepared a premiere as one could wish for Hammond’s feel for emotional contrast…allied to a seamless ness of tempo that was as convincing as it was impressive…”

Richard Whitehouse, classical source.com

”…this self-taught conductor could well make a significant contribution to the music world…”

Jerald Smith, Express& Star (Wolverhampton)

“…this was a splendid concert performed by a splendid group…under the talented Tom Hammond…”

Stan Meares, Bucks Free Press