Something to trumpet about for two men in cowshed

WHEN Prince William and Kate Middleton wait expectantly for the trumpets to sound at Westminster Abbey tomorrow to celebrate their wedding two men in a converted cowshed near York will share a silent smile of satisfaction.

Trumpet-maker Richard Smith and his business partner Derek Watkins have supplied the coronation fanfare trumpets that will be heard and seen by a television audience of to two billion people around the world.

They will be sounded during the ceremony when the players –drawn from the bands of the Royal Air Force – will perform music especially composed for the occasion.

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Richard Smith of Smith-Watkins said he was delighted to see his coronation fanfare trumpets chosen for the wedding.

He said: “It’s always a proud moment when we see and hear our instruments played in public, and the royal wedding is set to be a major global event.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that our coronation fanfare trumpets have been selected.

“The RAF band trumpeters are some of the finest in the world, and we’re looking forward immensely to hearing a rousing performance.”

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The brass instrument manufacturer Smith-Watkins of Sheriff Hutton can trace their association with the forces back to 2000 when they received a commission from the Royal Marines and Royal Air Force to create a new range of fanfare trumpets using cutting-edge design techniques.

Today, these instruments are used throughout the UK forces and military bands in the USA, Middle East and Australasia.

Captain Craig Burns, director of music at the Royal Marines, explained what made the company’s trumpets extra special.

He said: “Smith-Watkins’ precision engineering, coupled with Richard Smith’s understanding of the needs of the individual musicians, has led to the production of fanfare trumpets which produce clarity of sound, greater accuracy of note production and tuning throughout the range, and a rich musical ensemble sound.”

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Smith-Watkins’ coronation fanfare trumpets have graced high profile engagements all over the world as well as top ceremonial occasions here in the UK, including performances at Horseguards Parade, the annual Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall and the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo.

Smith-Watkins have been designing and manufacturing their range of famous brass instruments for more than 25 years.

The company is led by the world-renowned instrument designer Richard Smith and internationally-acclaimed trumpet player Derek Watkins, with all manufacturing taking place at their converted cow shed.

Dr Smith is an honorary fellow of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh and is a world authority on acoustics.

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In the past he has designed trombones for Don Lusher as well as a sovereign trumpet for the then principal trumpet player at the London Symphony Orchestra, John Wallace.

And while Dr Smith provides the essential theory behind the trumpets Derek Watkins, a legendary session trumpeter, is able to test his colleague’s latest creations.

But it was back in 1984 in a north London semi that the story starts properly when Dr Smith began designing and building his own trumpets.

It was a slow start with the trumpets gradually taking shape on the kitchen table.

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From there it was a short journey to the garden shed then one shed became two as the house began to be taken over by trumpet parts.

However, it would be another 20 years or more before he formed a limited company and moved with his wife to his current home.