Tim Palmer
Jason Huxtable (Individual Biography)
At an early age, Tim progressed through the ensembles of the Northamptonshire Music & Performing Arts Service, performing in percussion ensembles, orchestras, and wind and brass bands. In September 2000, he was granted a place at Birmingham Conservatoire.
Since then, Tim has had much success in competitions in and around Birmingham. He was awarded first prize in the Annual Birmingham Conservatoire Percussion Competition. He then went on to win the Doris Newton Music Club Prize for the most outstanding instrumentalist of 2002. Tim was also a prize winner in the John Ludlow Philharmonic Concerto Competition for his performance of Joseph Schwantner's Percussion Concerto. For this competition he was granted permission by Schott Publications and Joseph Schwantner to commission an arrangement of the Concerto for two Pianos and solo Percussion. Tim performed the World Premiere on February 24th, 2003.
In June 2004, Tim gained his Bachelor of Music degree with first class honours and was awarded the BMus prize for outstanding achievement. He then went onto complete his AdvPgDip (Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Performance) with distinction at Birmingham Conservatoire, where he now holds a visiting tutor position, teaching Mallet and solo Percussion.
Tim also plays an active role in music around Birmingham, and performs regularly with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Since leaving the Conservatoire as a student, Tim has forged his own career performing with Britain’s leading Percussion Ensemble, ‘Maraca2’. The duo have toured extensively throughout the United States, South America and Europe. Highlights include the International Percussion Festival in Patagonia, Argentina and a performance at the opening concert of the BEMUS International Music Festival, Belgrade, with the RTS Serbian Radio Orchestra, which was broadcast on Serbian TV. Maraca2 have also made appearances at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis and the International Marimba Festival in Minneapolis.