Mark Eager

Mark Eager (born 17 March) is a London born conductor and former BBC National Orchestra of Wales Principal Trombone.

He lives in Chelsea and Dorset, United Kingdom.

Eager graduated from the Royal Academy of Music (1984), with Dip.RAM.

In 1984 he was awarded the Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians of London and in 1998 Awarded Orchestral Recognition Award by the International Trombone Association, along with BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Christian Lindberg.

He freelanced with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Royal Ballet Sinfonia and others until joining the BBC National Orchestra of Wales as Principal Trombone (1993–2006).

Appointed 1994.

In 2004 he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM).

During his years with BBC NOW, Eager performed and premiered several concerti for trombone and orchestra including:

In 2005 Eager was awarded a scholarship to the Orkney Conducting course with Martyn Brabbins, which brought him into a conducting career.

He is currently:

Eager is a conductor at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Eager is an advisor, clinician and senior music examiner for Trinity College London and was appointed 2005.

He undertook much concerto work until 2006 when the Trombone Concerto 2004 (commissioned by the BBC) written for him by Alun Hoddinott caused serious muscle damage, ending his playing career.

2006 – Eager was the subject of a major feature in Classical Music Magazine.

2010 – The International Trombone Association produced a CD of four trombone concerti performed by Eager and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales including the world premieres of John Pickard 'The Spindle of Necessity' 1998, Alun Hoddinott 'Concerto' 2004 and the premier recording of Jean Françaix 'Concerto for Trombone and Ten Winds' 1995.

Internationally distributed as a complimentary disc with the ITA magazine.