Episode #85 - Simon Sweeney

Episode #85 - Simon Sweeney

Author: Bob Reeves Brass Mouthpieces September 21, 2020 Duration: 1:29:36

Simon Sweeney is a professional trumpet player and educator based in Sydney. He is a studio musician and has been prolific in the live music scene since 1993. As a member of the Jazz Faculty at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2010 he has taught many of the young players currently working in the Sydney scene.

Simon has appeared as guest Principal trumpet with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Film recording credits include Happy Feet, The Great Gatsby, The Extra and The Bank.

Simon has played on over 40 professional musical theatre productions since the mid 90s. He has played lead trumpet for Michael Bublé, George Benson, Paloma Faith and Tim Minchin. As a jazz musician he has toured and recorded with Mike Nock, played with the Space Cadets, recorded with the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra and he is currently co-lead trumpet of the Australian National Jazz Orchestra. He has performed with Silverchair, Thirsty Merc and recorded with Powderfinger and Billy Thorpe.

Simon's lead playing can be heard on the Netflix series Beat Bugs and Motown Magic. Simon's own small group jazz album "Emerald City Blues" was released on the Jazzgroove label. During the lockdown he has put together a horn section called the Emerald City Horns comprising some of Sydney's most prolific studio musicians.


There's a whole world of sound that happens before the music reaches the audience, a space filled with the clatter of valves, the whisper of breath, and the shared stories of a unique community. The Other Side Of The Bell-A Trumpet Podcast invites you into that world, offering a backstage pass to the realities of brass life. Hosted by the team at Bob Reeves Brass Mouthpieces, this series goes far beyond simple gear talk. Each episode feels like a conversation in the practice room, blending practical trumpet tips that address the daily hurdles players face with deep-dive interviews featuring the musicians themselves. You'll hear firsthand stories about the craft, the unexpected challenges of performance, and the personal journeys that shape an artist's sound. This podcast is built on decades of specialized knowledge, translating the nuanced experiences of embouchure, articulation, and endurance into accessible insights. Whether you're a student navigating your first orchestral audition or a seasoned professional refining your approach, the discussions here are grounded in real-world application. It’s about the person behind the instrument as much as the instrument itself, creating a genuine resource for anyone passionate about the trumpet. Tune in for a blend of technical wisdom and personal narrative that only comes from a lifetime spent listening from the other side of the bell.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Episode #95 - Lasse Lindgren [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Episode #91 - Philippe Schartz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Philip Lassiter is an 11-time Grammy award winning horn/string arranger, and former section leader/arranger of Prince and the New Power Generation. Currently based in L.A., Philip has quickly garnered respect as the go t…
Episode #89 - Boyde Hood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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A native of Dallas, Texas, retired Los Angeles Philharmonic trumpeter Boyde Hood received his BM degree in trumpet performance from the Eastman School of Music and master of music degree in theory and composition from Ba…
Episode #88 - James Morrison [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:59
James Morrison is, by anybody's standard, a virtuoso in the true sense of the word. Besides the trumpet, this multi-instrumentalist also plays trombone, piano, saxophone and double bass. At the age of six he started on p…
Episode #87 - Steve Dillard [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:57
Steve Dillard is a professional freelance trumpet player, founder of the popular HornTrader website, and an educator. Steve's first love has always been playing trumpet. Starting with his early work playing at Disneyland…
Episode #86 - Adrian Kelly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:16
Trumpeter Adrian Kelly has built an international career as a multi-faceted musician; performing, recording, and writing pop, classical, and jazz music. Adrian is currently working towards a PhD at the Western Australian…