Get to know “trumpet extraordinaire” Matilda Lloyd

Who (or what) inspired you to first start performing? (other artists, a particular composer or maybe someone close to you)

My first inspiration was my parents! My mum is a piano teacher and accompanist and started me on piano when I was around five years old – and then I discovered my dad’s old trumpet (he had played in school) when I was 8 years old and rooting around in a cupboard for a new toy to play with! I thought the trumpet looked shiny and cool and could make a decent sound on the instrument and that’s where the journey began.

What have been your music career highlights so far?

Career highlights so far have been when the trumpet has taken me to unexpected new places, for example being able to travel to and perform in South Africa, Uganda, Japan, Korea and Mexico! I also just embarked on the ECHO Rising Stars tour last season, performing in some of the best concert halls in Europe: particular highlights include the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Goldener Saal in the Musikverein Wien and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

What advice would you give upcoming artists wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Pursue your dreams relentlessly and don’t give up! It takes an extraordinary amount of resilience, determination, courage and putting yourself out there, but anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Don’t be afraid to seek out mentors and ask people for advice – more often than not they are very happy to help. And above all, have fun with your instrument and your music. Be curious, find inspiration in the world around you and enjoy collaborating and making music with other people as much as possible!

What do you hope the audience in Harrogate takes away from your performance?

I hope we can create an intimate, relaxed atmosphere where the audience feel warm and welcomed into the space. With spoken introductions, they will learn a bit more about the music and the composers and what these pieces mean to us and I hope to take them on a journey through different eras of music and different styles and emotions.

Describe your programme in 3 words.

Elegant. Intimate. Collaborative.

Do you have any pre-concert rituals?

I try to have as few as possible as the pre-concert situation is always changing! But you can often find me pacing up and down the corridors doing some stretches and shoulder rolls to get the adrenaline flowing, and then I will stand in the superhero pose for 1-2 minutes before going onstage to focus the breathing and the mind and say some positive affirmations.

What do you most enjoy about performing live and why is it still important in our digital age?

There is no magic on earth like live classical music. The pandemic showed us how VITAL the audience is so that the two-way connection can exist between those of us onstage and the audience. Without that atmosphere and the feeling of the audience there, there is no feedback for the performers and no energy to feed off and to give back too.

If you could collaborate with any other artist, throughout time, who would it be and why?

I would loved to have collaborated with Shostakovich and commissioned him to write a proper trumpet concerto – and then have him conduct it too!

What music are you listening to at the moment?

I listen to a wide array of music of many different genres. At the moment I’m rotating between up and coming pop star Tate McRae, the traditional Irish folk band Flook (who I recently saw live in London on their 30 years tour which was amazing!) and favourite tracks from Shakatak and Tower of Power.