JIM FIELDHOUSE
PERFORMER — COMPOSER — EDUCATOR
ABOUT ME
I’m a saxophonist, euphonium player, composer, and educator with a career that combines performing, writing, and teaching. After graduating from the University of Huddersfield with First Class Honours in 1999 and completing postgraduate study at the Royal Northern College of Music, I’ve gone on to work across classical, jazz, contemporary, and musical theatre. I’ve been fortunate to perform with leading orchestras, wind and brass ensembles, big bands, and pit orchestras throughout the UK.
For me, music is ultimately about connection — whether that’s telling a story through composition, collaborating with fellow musicians, or helping a student discover their own sound.
PERFORMANCE
As a performer, I freelance widely as a woodwind doubler, with a particular passion for baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, and have enjoyed a varied career that spans big bands, pop horn sections, orchestras, and musical theatre work. I’ve performed and recorded with ensembles such as the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Opera North, Northern Sinfonia and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and I’ve also appeared with the likes of The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and the Big Band of the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. Alongside this, I’ve had the privilege of backing some great artists – including Idina Menzel, Sheridan Smith, Alfie Boe, Russell Watson, Anton Du Beke, and the Ballet Rambert.
My musical theatre work has included both West End productions and national tours, where versatility and consistency are key. I’ve been lucky enough to work on some fantastic productions, including White Christmas, Funny Girl, Kiss Me Kate, ELF the Musical, Billy Elliot, West Side Story, Sister Act, The Rat Pack UK Tour, and The Bootleg Beatles.
I’m the baritone saxophonist with the Apollo Saxophone Quartet and currently Principal Euphonium of the Desford Colliery Band, following several years with The Fairey Band. I also perform regularly with other top UK brass bands.
Whether on stage, in a theatre pit, or in a rehearsal room, I value the shared experience of live music-making and the connection it creates between performers and audiences.
COMPOSING & ARRANGING
My writing is rooted in performance. The music I’ve played — in orchestras, big bands, theatre pits, pop gigs, brass bands, and chamber groups — has shaped my listening, and I draw my compositional ideas directly from that sound world.
I’ve written original pieces for the Apollo Saxophone Quartet and many other groups I perform with, and my arrangements have been used in wind band and orchestral recording sessions. My compositions and arrangements have also been taken up by leading brass bands such as Foden’s, Brighouse & Rastrick, Desford, Grimethorpe, and Fairey. Many of my original pieces and arrangements for smaller ensembles have found their way into rehearsal rooms and concert venues around the globe.
I publish a growing catalogue of my music through Nefarious Music Publications, making works available to ensembles and performers worldwide. Alongside this, I teach scoring and arranging at university level and support GCSE and A-Level students with composition. I’m particularly interested in exploring the full expressive range of brass and wind — from chamber-like transparency to bold, cinematic textures — and in creating music that is both rewarding for players and engaging for audiences.
MUSIC EDUCATION
Alongside performing and composing, I also enjoy working with musicians at a range of levels—from secondary school students discovering ensemble playing to university students preparing for professional careers.
I work as both an instrumental tutor and ensemble director. I have taught instrumental lessons at secondary school for over two decades and I’m the musical director of the University of Huddersfield Big Band and Symphonic Wind Orchestra. I also lead workshops and rehearsals with school and community ensembles as a band trainer and conductor, helping players develop their skills, teamwork, and confidence.
My approach is practical, supportive, and grounded in real-world music-making. Above all, I aim to nurture musicians who think for themselves—encouraging students to celebrate their successes, develop their own musical awareness, and hone the skills for continued self-growth when they step into the wider World.
GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to discuss an idea, book a lesson or find out about an upcoming performance, please use the contact to form below to send me a message