Owen Gunnell

Owen graduated from the RCM in 2003, with 1st class honours, then with his duo, ‘O Duo’, completed a Junior fellow there in 2006. Since then he has had an extremely busy and varied career. He has made solo appearances with the BBC Philharmonic, BBC Symphony orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta, the Philharmonia, the Macedonian Symphony orchestra, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Sinfonia Viva, Orchestre de Picardie (France) and De Doelen Ensemble (Holland). He has performed and been broadcast on TV and radio across Europe, the USA, Mexico, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Japan, Russia, Australia and the UK. Owen has worked closely and played/recorded new commissions by many composers including Steve Reich, George Benjamin, Brett Dean, Thomas Ades, Unsuk Chin, Aphex Twin, David Lang, Nico Muhly, Micheal Nyman, Oliver Knussen, Donnacha Dennehey and Benjamin Wallfisch. He has also been involved in numerous studio recordings in London, New York and Dublin.

Owen’s Percussion Duo, O Duo, have released 2 albums, and performed world wide to critical acclaim. They are past prizewinners of YCAT, Tunnel Trust, Making Music, ROSL and Edinburgh Fringe Best Music Act.

As a chamber and orchestral musician, Owen has appeared with the Colin Currie Group (member), the London Sinfonietta, BBC Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Crash Ensemble (member), Britten Sinfonia, John Wilson Orchestra and Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Within education, Owen has given masterclasses at the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, Guildhall, Birmingham Conservatoire, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Morelia University (Mexico), Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Finnish Opera, as well as numerous projects for many different organisations. He currently teaches percussion at the RWCMD and the Birmingham Conservatoire, as well as being Artistic Director for Children’s Classic Concerts (Scotland), and Children’s Musical Adventures (Wales). He has worked on many education projects with dozens of organisations, including the BBC, the London Sinfonietta, the Proms, Britten Sinfonia, The Roundhouse, Cheltenham Festival and St. Magnus Festival.