Peter Moss
Finding Harry James; a study of how his early life and music were relevant to the development of Jazz and Swing music.
Peter is professional trumpet player with LTCL, LLCM and an MMus in classical performance. He has studied trumpet with some of the top players in the World, including Murray Greig, and regularly performs as a soloist and in a range of diverse ensembles. He performs in musicals and jazz ensembles and is first trumpet in Dr Jazz and the Cheshire Cats Big Band. Peter plays as a soloist/ dep player across the UK, having passed the Graduate diploma in Jazz at St Andrews University.
In terms of teaching, Peter has taught students from reception up to A Level as a classroom music specialist and Head of Department. He currently teaches trumpet in three schools. He also works as a tutor on the Paul Eshelby’s Big Band Summer School at Benslow, teaching adults on this week- long residential course.
Peter is currently studying in year 5, part-time, of a PhD in music at Liverpool University. His studies focus on trumpet player Harry James and this has taken him to archives in Illinois, USA, to research trumpet playing methods and circus repertoire.
Teaching and learning
I currently teach trumpet in three schools: one private and two state secondary schools. I also teach privately and work on a big band Summer school as a tutor. I am a qualified teacher, with classroom experience in teaching from reception to A level students in music.
Outputs
Issues of race and the relevance for Swing music and Harry James
Born in a red wagon: the influence of circus band music on Harry James, swing bands and Jazz in America
Harry James and the Art of Ripping- Off European Classical Pedagogy for American Showmanship
“Ciribiribin” and the influence of Circus repertoire on the music of Harry James.
Presented at:
Cardiff University, British Forum for Ethnomusicology and Royal Musical Association Research Students’ Conference in January, 2024,
Rhythm Changes Conference in Graz, Austria in April, 2024,
Aberdeen University: British Forum for Ethnomusicology and Royal Musical Association Research Students’ Conference in January, 2025,
Rhythm Changes Conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands in August, 2025