Simon de Souza

Simon de Souza (born c. 1964) is a horn teacher in the United Kingdom. He taught at the Birmingham Conservatoire (where he has been professor of horn since 2004), was horn tutor at Wells Cathedral School and the Purcell School, and was also involved with the Junior departments of the Trinity College of Music and Royal Academy of Music. He has worked with many youth orchestras, including the National Youth Wind Orchestra, National Children’s Wind Orchestra, National Schools Symphony Orchestra and National Children’s Orchestra. He has written on horn teaching matters for publications including Music Teacher and the Hornplayer magazine, journal of the British Horn Society, of which he was vice-chair and educational consultant.

His past pupils include two under-18 winners of the Shell/LSO prize and a winner of the British final of the Paxman International Horn Competition; several former students hold principal positions in major British orchestras.

De Souza was brought up in Henley-on-Thames. He studied under British horn teacher Ifor James, followed by postgraduate studies at Trinity College of Music in London. His performing career has seen him work with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Bolshoi Ballet and particularly the quintet Chaconne Brass, with whom he has made four recordings.