John Wallace was one of the UK’s most influential brass musicians

The sad passing of John Wallace on Sunday marks a devastating loss to not only the Scottish brass banding and orchestral communities, but also to the wider music education, arts and entertainment scene. He was one of the UK’s most influential brass musicians with a career spanning over 60 years.

An internationally renowned Scottish trumpet soloist, composer and educator, Professor John Wallace CBE was the 17th recipient of Her Majesty’s Medal for Music for 2021. The medal is awarded annually to an outstanding individual or group of musicians who have had a major impact on the musical life of the nation.

John started in brass banding at the Tullis Russell Mills Band, before his hugely successful career as a professional musician, composer and conductor. He was appointed Conductor Emeritus at Tullis Russell Mills in the band’s centenary year, to mark his lifelong links and support of the organisation.

He learned to play when he was just seven years old, and at 16, toured Europe with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. His professional career spanned over five decades, playing with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra.

He dedicated much of his career to the promotion of arts education, serving as Head of the Brass Faculty at the Royal Academy of Music in London, before becoming Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama).

He was a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, the Trinity Laban Conservatoire, the Leeds Conservatoire, the Royal Northern College of Music, and the Royal Irish Academy of Music.   

As well as his career as soloist, John founded the Wallace Collection, a brass ensemble currently based in St Andrews. The Wallace Collection has toured all over the world and is now based in Scotland as a partner of the St Andrews Music Participation (StAMP) Project, which has given over 150 youngsters across Fife the opportunity to start learning a brass instrument since the start of the pandemic.

He also convened the Music Education Partnership Group, which worked to secure free instrumental tuition in Scottish state schools.

In 2003, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and in the 2011 New Year Honours list was appointed CBE for services to music, dance and drama education.

It was in 2014, he received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music from the University of St Andrews.

John was also patron of the Scottish Brass Band Association and, in 2024, he was presented with the SBBA President’s Special Achievement Award. He was presented with the honour by the late SBBA honorary vice president Peter Fraser MBE at a Romantic Brass concert by the cooperation band (below) as the repertoire had been transcribed and inspired by his remarkable journey in which his lifelong contributions to the brass band world have left an indelible mark. Towards the end of his life he was being treated at the Beatson Cancer Clinic and this was the charity chosen for the proceeds from the concert.

Most recently John had been appointed as honorary vice president of the cooperation band – having already served as a trustee of the organisation – in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding contribution to music and his deep, enduring connection with the band.

Last year John received an honorary award from the International Trumpet Guild for his work within the global trumpet community. The guild’s highest honour, it recognised his outstanding contributions in trumpet performance, literature, teaching and culture.

John received honorary membership of the Royal Philharmonic Society last year

After being presented with this well deserved recognition – joining such past recipients as Louis Armstrong, Maurice André, Edward Tarr, Miles Davis, Maurice Murphy and many others – John commented modestly: “It’s been a rare privilege to work and play with so many brilliant people during the course of what has been a musically replete life.”

The number of heartfelt tributes to John – from bands, musicians and organisations far and wide – on social media bear testimony to how many lives he touched throughout his long career.

The Scottish Brass Band Association sends its condolences to his wife Liz, family and friends on the loss of a great man.