“Stirling is a player of manifest authority”  Musical Opinion

“remarkable expressiveness”   The Guardian

“an outstandingly agile horn soloist”  The Times

“The Horn Quintet is a glorious piece, with Stephen Stirling magnificent in the central horn part.”   The Penguin Guide to CDs 2003-4

For many years now, Stephen Stirling has been one of England’s busiest and most sought-after horn players. Since studying at the Royal Northern College of Music with Ifor James and later with Julian Baker, he has worked mostly in the rather rarefied world of chamber music. He has had an enormously varied career travelling all over the world, particularly enjoying playing in unusual and far flung places.

Increasingly in demand as a soloist, he has broadcast concertos on BBCTV and Radio 3, and appeared with orchestras such as theAcademy of St Martin in the Fields, the City of London Sinfonia and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe under the batons of Richard Hickox, Sir Neville Marriner, Heinz Holliger and Ivan Fischer. His recording of all Mozart’s Horn Concertos, including the recently reconstructed “No 5 in Eb”, has just been released by BMG on the Classic FM “Full works” label. He is accompanied by the City of London Sinfonia with whom he has also recorded the virtuosic Double Horn Concertos by Vivaldi.

Stephen has a world-wide reputation as a chamber musician being in constant demand at festivals in the UK and abroad. He is a member of Endymion Ensemble, The Fibonacci Sequence and Capricorn. He has taken part in many critically acclaimed recordings, including Mozart’s entire output for wind ensemble with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and his second recording of the Brahms Horn Trio, with the Florestan Trio, released recently by Hyperion, to rave reviews and a ‘Gramophone’ award nomination.

Teaching and coaching are amongst Steve’s greatest loves and he gives frequent masterclasses on courses such as the Dartington International Summer School, Canford Summer School and Aberystwyth Musicfest. He is a professor of horn at Trinity College of Music in London and a regular contributor of articles about music making to The Horn Magazine.