Gareth Newman joined the London Mozart Players in 1988
Where else do you teach/play?
Teaching at Royal Academy, Royal College and Birmingham Conservatoire. Playing includes all the major symphony and chamber orchestras and chamber groups, including recently LSO, Philharmonia, LPO, RPO, ECO, CLS etc.
Where were you born?
Pwllheli on the North West coast of Wales.
How old were you when you started playing, and why did you take up the bassoon?
Nine - my father was county music advisor and they didn't have any bassoonists locally! Besides, I was intrigued by how it looked, sticking up at the back of the orchestra...
What has been your most fun/interesting musical experience so far?
Very difficult to answer - in general, travelling the world and seeing smiles on faces as a result of what I'm involved in ....playing chamber music is still my number one love - it's hard to beat being a part of the Mozart Quintet for Piano and Winds or Schubert Octet with sympathetic colleagues.
Who have you enjoyed working with the most and why?
Again a very difficult question - in recent years I suppose Maazel and Gatti for their amazing conducting techniques, Rostropovich for his insight into Shostakovich Symphonies, the LSO for sheer electricity, the RPO for full-hearted commitment, the Nash Ensemble and London Winds for virtuosity.
Do you play any other instruments?
No.
Do you have any hobbies you manage to fit into your spare time?
Golf, reed-making.
Where is your favourite holiday destination?
On a regular basis, Portugal (I used to live there). As a one-off, Trinidad was amazing.
What's your favourite sound?
The sea lapping gently on a sandy beach, accompanied by the chink of ice in my glass....
