Denis Wick

Denis Wick (born 1931) is a British influential orchestral trombonist. He is also an internationally respected brass teacher and designer of brass mutes and mouthpieces. On retirement in 1989 he was awarded the International Trombone Association's annual award; he served as their president 2004-2006.

Wick was born in Braintree, Essex and attended King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford, and Luton Grammar School. He taught himself the trombone from the age of 10 when he received an instrument from the Chelmsford Salvation Army band. He played with the band until the age of 15 and soon joined Luton Brass Band which was enjoying considerable national success at the time. At the age of 16 he heard his first orchestral concert, and Malcolm Arnold's trumpet playing so inspired him that he decided to pursue a career in playing.

His family was not well off so, in an unusual step at that time, his mother started work to fund his studies. He spent a year at the Royal Academy of Music from 1950, but claims he was frustrated with not learning anything there. Sid Langston was the professor, but he all but refused to pass on any of his experience in case his students 'stole' his work.

Wick did an amateur date in Salisbury and by chance the other trombonists were from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, so when the 2nd trombone job came up in July 1950, they called to invite him to audition, having already heard many of the final year students at the London music colleges. Wick won this audition and entered this large full-time professional orchestra at the age of 19. He went on to win an audition with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 1952, a year after conductor Rudolf Schwarz had moved there. The audition had to be rigorous to persuade the administrators that Schwarz was not practising favouritism towards an ex-colleague from the BSO.

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