PIP HARBON:

 Born 14/8/74 Educated at Falmouth School I started Percussion lessons at 11 years old with Paul Hiley. Under his guidance, I underwent a thorough training in all aspects of percussion, resulting in membership of the Cornwall Youth Percussion Ensemble, Cornwall Youth Orchestra and Cornwall Youth Wind Orchestra. During this time, I participated in masterclasses with Evelyn Glennie, Trevor Tomkins, of the Royal Academy of Music and Andy Smith of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. While Rachel and Common Ground are the band I am a full time member of, I am a working freelance musician. In the past I have toured Holland, Germany and Belgium as well as the Middle East.In July of 2000 I was performing at the Jazz a Vienne festival in France with an 18 piece band called Sax Machine. Although I have worked in an incredibly wide range of musical situations, from the Bournemouth Sinfonietta and visiting Opera companies, through to pitwork in Musicals and National tours with the likes of Opportunity Knocks winner Mark Rattray and name That Tune Starlet Maggie Moon, it has been the worlds of Jazz and Commercial music which have kept me busy recently. Highlights have been gigs with Peter King, (alto sax with the Charlie Watts Band), Jim Mullen,(guitarist, ex-member Average White Band), Ed Jones, (Sax, Incognito and Chaka Khan), Alan Barnes (Sax, Brian Ferry) and top Jazzers Gilad Atzmon and Mornington Lockett. I also play regularly with many local groups, from Trios to Big Bands. At the moment, I teach Percussion for the Local Education Authority as well as working with students at a nearby college studying BTEC Popular Music, A Level Music and a Degree in Jazz.