About the instructors
About the instructors
Dennis Rollins MBE
A passionate performer and educator, British trombone player Dennis Rollins MBE has established a reputation as an artist of excellence, and has lent his unique and stylish talents to some of this country's, and indeed the world's top jazz and pop personalities such as Courtney Pine, Maceo Parker, Jamiroquai, US3, The Brand New Heavies, Blur, Monty Alexander, Pee Wee Ellis and Jean Toussaint, amongst others.
As a bandleader, in 2006 his jazz/funk outfit Badbone & Co won a prestigious BBC Jazz Award in the Best Band category. In the following year he picked up both Trombonist of the Year at the British Jazz Awards and Ronnie Scott's Jazz Awards. Dennis was nominated twice in the 2008 Parliamentary Jazz Awards for Jazz Musician of the Year and for Jazz Education; he won the latter. Other awards include British Trombone Society (BTS) Player of the year Award 2013 and JazzYorkshire Award 2012 Best Band for his band Velocity Trio.
In his hometown of Doncaster UK, Dennis was given Honorary Freedom of the Borough in recognition of his successful musical career and for his constant inspiration to the regions musical youth. As part of Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018, Dennis was honoured with an MBE for Services to music. Most recently in June 2022, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Wales, UK.
A sought after jazz educationalist, Dennis has worked in collaboration with many of the UK's university and colleges delivering a wide range of music programmes and performance workshops. Dennis says "Growing up, I was extremely fortunate to have had the most inspiring and dedicated teachers. The skills and compassion I acquired were a result of that education. Teaching feels very natural to me. I feel it's a duty to pass on my musical knowledge to the next generation."
As a recording artist he's currently recorded 5 critically acclaimed albums. Three with his award-winning band Badbone & Co, and two with his progressive jazz organ-trio, Velocity Trio.
He's proud to be an exclusive endorsee of UK brass instrument maker, Michael Rath Trombones and Argentinian mouthpiece maker Boqar Baro Mouthpieces.
Colin Newton
https://inclusive-solutions.com/about-us/
Colin has over 40 years experience as both an educator and an educational psychologist across the UK, as well as considerable work internationally. He has written books on a range of subjects mainly related to inclusive education for those with the most complex behaviour and learning needs. He is known for his passion for the inclusion of all children in mainstream schools, and for his practical applied work around person centred planning, restorative justice and in-depth problem solving. Colin loves to demonstrate approaches as well as provide training with often very large groups - always with a clear focus on facilitation and the inclusion of all. His love of drama and participation are as clear as his drive to revolutionise educational psychology practice across the UK.
Colin says: "Instinctively from an early age I was against children being sent away to boarding schools and later to special schools and settings. Later I was inspired by disabled activists and Canadian and North American inclusionists who were working to change the world of education with radical innovative thinking and approaches - the work was political, social and spiritual - I was in and never looked back!"
What students may not realise is that Colin is also a passionate jazz trombonist and is the lead trombone player of a local Big Band as well as playing in 7 different bands including small jazz ensembles, Church Gospel group and a cover Funk band.
Colin has been tutored by Dennis for the past 2 years so he has had to learn fresh ideas and concepts and has really appreciated the excellent teaching offered. ‘A great time to reflect on the experience and emotional challenges of learning whatever age you might be.’
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