Martin & Nico Schippers Trombone Masterclass

Martin and Nico Schippers, of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, host a masterclass featuring students from the NEC trombone studios.

Born in 1974, Nico Schippers studied at the conservatories of Enschede, Rotterdam and Lyons with Peter van Klink, George Wiegel, Michel Becquet and Alain Manfrin. He has participated in masterclasses with Viktor Sumerkin, Christian Lindberg, Bart van Lier and Denis Wick. As a student, Schippers was a member of the National Youth Wind Band of the Netherlands, the National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra. He has worked as a substitute with nearly every orchestra in the Netherlands, including the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Residentie Orchestra and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He served as principal trombonist of the Nederlands Balletorkest (subsequently the Holland Symfonia) up until August 2000. Nico Schippers was a member of the New Trombone Collective since its inception until 2010. He was appointed trombonist and tenor tuba player of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in August 2004 and is a member of RCO Brass. Schippers teaches trombone and euphonium at the Fontys Conservatory in Tilburg.

Martin Schippers began studying the tenor tuba with his grandfather at the age of seven. He switched to the trombone at fifteen, taking lessons from his uncle, Hans Schippers. Two years later he began studying at the Rotterdam Conservatoire; during his second year he was appointed second trombonist with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. He assumed the post of principal trombonist with the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic in 2005. Martin was appointed second and bass trombonist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in April 2009. As a member of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, RCO brass, the International Trombone Ensemble, the New Trombone Collective (until 2010) and numerous chamber music groups, he has performed in most of the major concert halls around the world. Martin appeared as teacher and performer on festivals such as the International Trombone Festival, Festival do Campos Jordao Brazil, Sesc International Music Festival Pelotas Brazil, IPV festival, Lätzsch Trombone Festival, Peru Low Brass festival and Curso Trombon de Valga in Spain.