Nicholas Korth, “subtlest of first horns”, has held the position of Co-principal Horn with the BBC Symphony Orchestra since 2000.

In this capacity he has performed in many ‘Prom’ concerts at the Royal Albert Hall (including several first and last nights), toured throughout the world and been involved in countless radio and TV broadcasts. Highlights over recent years include the obligato horn part in Mahler’s Fifth Symphony in Tokyo’s Suntory Hall under Oramo, and Fourth Symphony at the Proms and the Edinburgh Festival under Bychkov. A long-held ambition was realised when he played pricipal horn in Strauss's epic Alpine Symphony at the 2024 proms, again under Oramo.

In 2022 he appeared as soloist – with the London Chamber Orchestra conducted by Christopher Warren-Green at St John’s Smith Square, London – in the world premiere of his own composition, Inscapes for tenor, natural horn and string orchestra. Featured in the same performance was Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn and strings with Toby Spence.

Nicholas performs regularly as guest principal horn with many of Britain’s major orchestras and chamber ensembles and is active on the London film session scene. He is also Principal Horn of the English Sinfonia and the Orchestra of St John's. As a member of the London Conchord Ensemble he has performed much of his music, recorded extensively and toured in the USA and Europe, playing in venues such as the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam and London’s Wigmore Hall.

He first had lessons with his mentor, the distinguished horn soloist Ifor James, at the age of eleven. Four years later he joined Ifor in Germany for a further five years study at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg. He has also worked in Norway as a member of the Oslo Philharmonic under Marriss Jansons in the early nineties, and was Principal Horn of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia from 1997 to 2000. As a composer, Nicholas has a fascination with the world of natural harmony. This is reflected in his series of compositions, Harmoniae Naturales, which feature the extraordinary sounds of overtone singing and Gongs.