Patrick Kenny - Trombone

Patrick is an EYO alumnus whose experience of making music with other young people in Edinburgh helped inspire a career as a professional trombonist. Today, he performs across an incredible range of musical styles, from jazz and pop to West End musicals, while writing his own music and running the Saltire Street Band.

What did EYO mean to you?

“EYO was a vital part of my musical life growing up in Edinburgh. It was one of the key experiences that really made me fall in love with playing music with other people and eventually pursue a career playing the trombone!”

For Patrick, EYO was about much more than musical training. The friendships and shared experiences of playing alongside musicians his own age have stayed with him throughout his life.

“Although I mainly play jazz-based and crossover music professionally these days, the experience and training of playing in EYO and having the best of times with other kids my own age had a profound and lasting impact on my life… I'm still friends with some of them today!”

Where has music taken you?

Today, Patrick enjoys a varied career as a musician, performing across an extraordinary range of styles. From Big Band Jazz with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO), to pop performances with Pete Tong, Nicole Scherzinger and Boy George, and musicals including The Book of Mormon in the West End, his work reflects the breadth of opportunities that a life in music can offer. Alongside performing, Patrick writes his own music and runs the Saltire Street Band.

Patrick’s journey is a reminder that the friendships, musical skills and inspiration young people gain through EYO can stay with them long after their time in the orchestra, shaping both their careers and their lives.