Lewis Banks
Key Facts
- Instrument: Saxophone
- Website: www.lewisbankssax.com
Biography
Lewis Banks studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he was awarded 100% in his final undergraduate recital, subsequently graduating with a Bachelor of Music with Honours of the First Class. In the same year, whilst still an undergraduate student, Lewis appeared with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra as soloist in Jacques Ibert’s Concertino da Camera, conducted by Jean – Claude Picard. In 2019, Lewis will make his London recital debut at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre.
As an orchestral musician, Lewis has been freelancing regularly with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra since 2015. More recently, Lewis also featured in a pre-concert recital for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, performing Sir James Macmillan’s After the Tryst with the composer in attendance.
As a performer of contemporary classical music, Lewis was selected as the saxophonist on the London Sinfonietta Academy 2015, culminating with the premiere of the concert version of Mark Bowden’s Channel Rose for Soprano Saxophone and Vibraphone at LSO St Lukes. Additionally, Lewis performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra during their Dream on project for Shakespeare Lives 2016, premiering four new works for orchestra as part of a unique collaboration with the Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow University and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Lewis was recently named as a winner of the Philip and Dorothy Green Young Concert Artists Award and is a Yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Additionally, he has been awarded numerous prizes and scholarships from the Wolfson Foundation, Hope Scott Trust and was an Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Scholar for 2015 – 16. Lewis is currently continuing his studies as a scholarship student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the Master of Music course (2016 – 18), generously supported by the Fleming Award (2016 – 2017) and a Postgraduate Award (2017 – 2018) from Help Musicians UK.
Musicians’ Company Award: Musicians’ Company Award 2017 & Maisie Lewis Prize 2018
Page Updated: May 2018