PROFILES
Find out more about the members of BONE-AFIDE.
SIMON MINSHALL
Simon continues to be one of the most in-demand Bass Trombone player's in the UK, known for his versatility across musical genres. His performances range from classical music with the London Symphony Orchestra to jazz with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra.
His early musical journey began at the age of nine in Astley, Manchester, continuing at Chetham’s School of Music. Simon pursued higher education at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied under distinguished tutors Bob Hughes, Patrick Jackman, and Keith McNicholl. Simon has now gone on to lead classes and teach at several renowned institutions, including the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Royal Northern College of Music, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He currently serves as a professor of trombone at the Royal Academy of Music Junior School.
In addition to orchestral, opera, ballet, chamber and jazz work, Simon is a busy recording artist, frequently playing Bass and Contrabass Trombone for film and TV soundtracks. He is currently the chair trombonist for “Back to the Future The Musical” in London’s West End.
Additionally, from 2021 to 2024, Simon held the position of President of the British Trombone Society.
ISOBEL DAWS
Isobel began to play the cornet at the age of three under the joint direction of her father, David Daws, and the late Maisie Ringham Wiggins MBE. She moved onto the trombone in September 2008 and within six months gained a scholarship to study trombone and piano at The Purcell School of Music. After eight years at the Purcell, she moved to Chetham’s School to study A Levels.
In 2014 Isobel was one of the five finalists in the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year Brass Category, and in 2018 she was once again in the Brass Category Final where she went on to be crowned the winner. In 2017, Isobel was the winner of the BBC Young Brass Award playing live on Radio 2. Isobel is alumni of the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama, The National Children’s and Youth Brass Bands of Great Britain, and The National Children’s and Youth Orchestras of Great Britain.
Isobel graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2022 where she completed her four-year undergraduate course studying with Matt Gee, Peter Moore and Ian Bousfield. Isobel won the Karajan Academy position at the Berlin Philharmonic in January 2022 and has just started her Masters Degree at the Universität der Künste with Professor, Stefan Schulz.
Isobel recently won the Solo Trombone position at the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, where she started her first season in September 2023.
Isobel has performed with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Berlin Staatskapelle, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra and brass ensemble, Septura. Isobel is a founding member of trombone quartet, Bone-afide, who have recorded a Christmas album, Christmas with Bone-afide and more recently a folk album with World of Sound.
MERIN RHYD
Originally from North Wales, Merin first began learning the Trombone at the age of 8 with cornet player, Paul Hughes. He then went on to attend the Junior RNCM from the age of 15, before moving to London to start his Bachelor of Music at the Royal College of Music with Lindsay Shilling and Byron Fulcher. In July 2022, he graduated with a Master of Arts from the Royal Academy of Music where he studied with Matt Gee and Pete Moore.
During his studies, he was a scholar of Lord and Lady Davies, awarded with the Arthur Wilson Trombone Award and was a recipient of the Drake Calleja and Countess of Munster Musical Trust awards.
Merin is an established freelancer and has worked with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Luxembourg Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Symphony, Concert and Welsh Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Merin has performed in some of the world’s leading concert halls including the Elbphilharmonie, Philharmonie de Paris, Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.
In addition to his orchestral career, he regularly works with London Brass and is a proud member of the Bone-afide Trombone Quartet.
ROB MOSELEY
Robert began playing the Cornet at the age of 7, before quickly moving on to the Euphonium, and began learning the trombone aged 11. Robert joined the Guildhall School of Music and Drama junior department at 16 where the trombone took over to become his primary instrument.
In 2013 he was accepted to the Royal College of music as the recipient of the Douglas and Hilda Simmonds scholarship. For his Masters study, Robert was also awarded the Arthur Wilson Scholarship and the John Lewis Award. Throughout his undergraduate and postgraduate courses studied with Byron Fulcher, Lindsay Shilling, Amos Miller and Rob Holliday. During his time at the RCM, Robert had the opportunity to perform with with world famous conductors, such as Vladimir Ashkenazy and Bernard Haitink, as well as being accepted on the Chamber Orchestra of Europe’s Academy, and the Philharmonia’s MMSF Scheme.
As a freelance musician, Robert has performed all around the UK with orchestras such as the BBC Concert and Scottish Symphony Orchestras, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, Opera North and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra to name a few.