Michael Thompson (b1954)

As a prolific recording artist Michael Thompson has performed all the major classical and Romantic horn repertoire plus works of his own time by Messiaen, Musgrave, Birtwistle, Maxwell Davies and Tippett, also recording—using period instruments—many of the obligato horn parts of Bach and Handel, for Decca, EMI, Chandos, Hyperion and Naxos/Marco Polo. The Michael Thompson Wind Quintet has made a number of highly regarded recordings with the quintet working on major projects to record the complete works of Reicha and Krommer. Similarly, the Michael Thompson Horn Quartet also has the finest reputation, receiving superlative reviews for its EMI recording of Tippett’s Sonata for Four Horns. Concerts by this quartet have included appearances at the Royal Albert Hall in London and at Carnegie Hall in New York, with Sir Paul McCartney. Michael Thompson is a noted champion of new music with over fifty works for horn and orchestra from the latter half of the 20th century in his published concerto list of repertoire which includes works specifically written for him by Anthony Powers, Michael Berkeley, Simon Bainbridge and Bruce Broughton.

Michael Thompson is in great demand throughout the world as a teacher, for giving masterclasses and a regular choice for competition juries. Michael Thompson plays on an instrument made by Paxman of London.