Peter Franks studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he was taught by Bernard Brown and Raymond Simmons. He was a national finalist and London area winner in the 1979 Shell-LSO Scholarship Competition and in the following year was awarded a bursary to join the National Centre for Orchestral Studies.
At the age of 22, Peter joined the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and was soon appointed Principal Trumpet. As a soloist, he has performed the Hummel and Haydn concertos, both with the SCO and elsewhere, Edinburgh International Festival and Paris Châtelet performances of the Vivaldi Double Concerto, and gave the Scottish, London and USA premieres of Strathclyde Concerto No.3 by Sir Peter Maxwell-Davies.
Peter has had the honour to perform and record with many distinguished conductors and colleagues both with the SCO and as a guest with many other orchestras, including the RSNO and BBC SSO. Peter holds teaching positions at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and St. Mary’s Music School, is a visiting teacher at Edinburgh University, and has arrangements published for brass and woodwind ensembles.
Peter is one of up to five members of the Orchestra who advise the Board and Senior Management Team on musical matters and represent player interests at board meetings.
