John Fleming, Youth Jazz Orchestra

John Fleming started to play the cornet at age ten with The Patrician Boys Brass Band in Galway. From the age of 15 he started to play trumpet with local jazz, rock and stage musical pit bands. This was a great non formal music education, opening up all types of musical influences, and it also started his interest in arranging. He arranges charts for brass band, big band, pit band and many other genres, as well as a special interest in writing music for primary school children and youth ensembles. He has published over 100 arrangements, including 2 books, as well as writing and producing his own material.

John from his late teens studied trumpet first with Tom Barry in the DIT school of music and later with Prof. James Cavanagh in the RIAM, where he qualified with a Diploma in trumpet teaching.

As well as playing trumpet professionally, John has been a teacher of brass instruments now for over 25 years. He works extensively with the children of St. Patrick’s N.S. Lombard Street, introducing them to instrumental playing especially brass at an early stage.

As well as being Musical Director of the Galway Youth Jazz Orchestra since it’s inception in 2006, he is also Musical Director of the Black Magic Big Band, and music co-ordinator for St. Pat’s N.S. Galway.