Andrew Berryman - Head of Brass
On completion of his studies in 1984, Andrew was appointed Principal Trombone with the Ulster Orchestra. In 1988 Andrew was appointed the Principal Trombone of the Halle Orchestra, a position he held until September 2008. During this period Andrew was the trombone professor at the Royal Northern College of Music. He also taught at Salford University and Chethams School of Music where he taught Peter Moore, the 2009 BBC Young Musician of the Year. Many of Andrew's students are now in key orchestral and military band positions around the world.
Andrew was a founder member of Halle Brass, a highly successful brass quintet, and Halle Rock, a rock band originally formed to raise money for Halle funds. Andrew was also very active in the Halle Education Department and worked as a clinician, educator and animateur.
As an instrumental performer Andrew has played with most of the UK's orchestras. As a soloist he has performed with the Halle, the Ulster Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, more recently the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra and many of the UK's leading Brass Bands. He has also been featured on many CD's as a soloist and recorded a solo CD with Doyen.
Andrew has given clinics and masterclasses in most of the UK's leading places of higher education and abroad at Julliard, Manhatten School of Music and The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. Norway has for many years been part of Andrew's busy schedule where he has worked as a soloist, educator, conductor and adjudicator at Siddis Brass and the Norwegian Brass Band Championships.
Over the past 10 years conducting has played a wider role in Andrews musical career. He was the Musical Director of the Wingates Brass Band from 2005-2008 and was described in the band press as bringing the 'win' back to Wingates. Under Andrew's baton the band enjoyed success at the French Open, the US Open, the Senior Cup and the Area contests.
Andrew also developed strong connections with the Internationally recognised Minimalist composer Michael Nyman culminating in 2009 with a highly successful recording of Nyman's music. There were 2 other critically acclaimed CD's under Andrew's tutelage. 'Frolic for Trombones', described as 'slightly different but all the more enjoyable for it' and 'Extremes' described as 'mavarick, with a real sense of musical adventure'. Both CD's featured many of Andrew's arrangements.
Neil Cuthbertson - Trumpet
Neil has been teaching at CMA since 2007, when he moved to Dubai from the UK. He grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland where he began learning piano and trumpet as a child. He then went on to study at the Ian Tomlin School of Music, Napier University graduating with a BMus (Hons) and the David MacMillan Memorial Prize in 2006. After completing his studies, Neil taught brass at several schools in central Scotland.
Since joining CMA Neil has been involved in developing and growing the brass programme that we offer; as well as directing brass, wind and orchestral ensembles. Other workshops and activities he has organised at CMA including Brass Bonanza, Jazz Workshops and Summer School. He has also been the trumpet tutor for the Arabian Youth Orchestra and Youth Orchestra of the Middle East courses based in Dubai.
Neil is a versatile musician and works in many different genres including classical, jazz and popular music. In the UAE he can often be seen performing with the UAE National Symphony Orchestra, Dubai Chamber Orchestra, Abu Dhabi Big Band, and jazz quintet the Lounge Camels amongst others.
Jennifer Cuthbertson - French Horn
Born in Scotland, Jennifer completed her Bachelor of Music Degree under the tutelage of Harry Johnstone at the Ian Tomlin School of Music, Edinburgh Napier University, graduating with first class honours and winning the David Macmillan Brass Prize in 2008. During her time in Edinburgh she enjoyed a variety engagements as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician with ensembles such as the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Edinburgh Quartet and the Scottish Sinfonia, and artists such as Nicola Benedetti and Julian Lloyd Webber. She also participated in masterclasses with David McClenaghan, Hugh Seenan and Radovan Vlatkovich.
Jennifer relocated to the UAE in 2008 to join the staff at Centre for Musical Arts, where she has enjoyed a diverse range of roles and responsibilities, joining the management team in 2014. She oversees CMA’s vibrant musical workshops programme on top of her teaching commitments. She is also passionate about outreach and charitable work through music, running workshops with volunteers for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), and working with the children of the Green Gecko Project, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
A keen performer, Jennifer works locally with the National Symphony Orchestra, the orchestras of the Dubai Singers and Dubai Chamber Choir, and the Dubai Chamber Orchestra, with whom she was recently invited to perform Mozart’s Third Horn Concerto. She has also enjoyed the chance to perform with ensembles across the G.C.C, particularly Oman and Bahrain.