He is an English trumpeter and teacher who received his musical education at the Royal College of Music in London.
His first steps in his professional career had him working as a modern trumpeter but after becoming acquainted with Walther Holy in Cologne, Germany he began to perform on the Baroque trumpet. Because there were no manufacturers of the Baroque trumpets at the time he put himself to work in his garage and made one for himself.
Now fully conversant with performances on both types he became highly sought after and has been heard with numerous ensembles and orchestras including the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the English Chamber Orchestra, The King’s Singers, David Munrow’s Early Music Consort, studio orchestras on the James Bond films, and his own Michael Laird Brass Ensemble among others.
Amongst popular artists he can be heard backing The Beatles, Sir Elton John, Sir Cliff Richard, Mike Oldfield, The Jam, Grace Slick and Unto Ashes.
His myriad of recordings includes most of the works by Bach and Handel, Panorama: Festive Baroque, Troubadors of Folk, Vol. 1, Sound the Trumpet…, Now You See Me Now You Don’t by Sir Cliff Richard, Greatest Hits by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, Incantations and Elementsby Mike Oldfield, Direction Recreation Creation Ear Book by The Jam and America by the King’s Singers.
As a teacher he spent 15 years as a Professor at the Royal College of Music and for 6 years a Professor of Natural Trumpet and Cornetto at the Hochschule, Trottingen, Germany. Giving many international masterclasses he is currently a Brass Consultant at the Birmingham Conservatoire and Wells Cathedral, England.
Sources:
- http://www.willspencer.org/trumpet-seminar-tuscany.html
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/843657-Michael-Laird-2
- http://www.last.fm/music/Antal+Dor%25C3%25A1ti+%2526+National+Symphony+Orchestra