Gary Kettel

Gary Kettel became co-principal percussionist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Pierre Boulez at the age of 20 and since then has become one of Britain’s most sought after percussionists. Working with every major London Orchestra as Principal Percussionist including the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Philharmonia and Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

For many years he was the percussionist with the Nash Ensemble and Peter Maxwell Davies’ ‘Fires of London’. Well known for his stylistic versatility, he has a huge experience in all musical fields from Latin American and Ethnic through straight Classical to Pop and Contemporary. John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein and Paul McCartney are just a few of the great composers he has worked with on films including the Star Wars series, James Bond series, Harry Potter series and Pirates of the Caribbean to name but a few.

He gives master-classes and coaching sessions to the percussionists at the Royal Northern College of Music, Trinity College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the London Symphony Orchestra’s Sheel Competition and is a regular

He is a regular Examiner for the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.