As I start to think about a redesign for this site, the first and most obvious question is: what is it for? I always intended to produce a site advertising my services as a performer, arranger, conductor and teacher, but up to now the only element of jamestopp.com has been this blog, and its purpose […]

During the tea break at a session for Songs Of Praise yesterday, a member of the choir collars me and says, “We were just favourably comparing you to the horns we were working with last week.”
“Oh thanks”, I replied, “who were you working with last week?”
“It was the English Symphony Orchestra, we were doing Beethoven […]

On Friday the ESO’s Beethoven symphony cycle came to an end in fine style at Worcester Cathedral with performances of the 8th and 9th symphonies. To do these two pieces back-to-back, following 5 hours of rehearsal the same day, with no bumper, is seriously hard work for the first horn, but I didn’t do much […]