Today is National Cancer Survivors Day 💜 As many of you know, I went through a decade-long battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Multiple failed treatments, therapies, clinical trials and transplants. So many different hairstyles over those ten years… and scars from biopsies, Hickman lines and syringe drivers that I’ll carry forever. But cancer also taught me what life is really about. Now, 15 years in remission, I feel incredibly lucky to speak at events and conferences around the world about what I faced and what I learned through those years. During some parts of my talks, I speak about the hardest times… the moments where I could only live in the present because that was all I had. No certainty. No guarantees. Just that moment. And strangely, that taught me everything. There’s a saying (something a bit like this): “The past is history, the future is uncertain, but the present is called a present because it’s a gift” and I still live by it now. I learned that none of us truly know how long we have in this life… but we do get to choose how we use that time. What people don’t always talk about is the psychological battle that can come after surviving cancer. Winning the fight doesn’t magically erase the fear, trauma or the rebuilding that follows. I was dealing with being told repeatedly for five years that I wouldn’t survive, so once I got through it all, the thought of a future was too terrifying for me, and a psychologist had to undo all the work they’d done in helping me to come to terms with the fact that I was going to die. The lessons I learned during those ten years will stay with me forever. I see the world in a completely different light now. I value the smallest things… a conversation, sunshine, rain, laughter, love, nature… and let me tell you, life is a LOT rosier because of that. I’ll never be able to thank my family and close friends enough for what they did for me during those years, plus the incredible Lymphoma charity @lymphoma_action 💜 To everyone currently fighting cancer, to those who have fought it, and to every family member walking beside someone they love through it… I’m sending you all my love ❤️ xxx

Sir Paul McCartney’s new album ‘The Boys of Dungeon Lane’ is unlike anything he’s shared before. Stories of post-war childhood, early adventures with John Lennon and George Harrison, the resilience of his parents, and a collection of newly inspired love songs. Personal, revealing, and extraordinary. I had the absolute honour of playing on this album. A real pinch-me moment. Recorded in the legendary Studio 2 at Abbey Road - the very space where The Beatles created timeless classics like ‘Come Together’, ‘Something’, ‘Here Comes The Sun’, and ‘All You Need Is Love’. It was a truly special session with the incredible @benfostercomposer at the helm, and a memory I’ll treasure forever. Paul even had a toot on my beloved @rathtrombones R1! 😍 This album is stunning, by one of the most iconic musicians in history ⭐️ out now!

Such a huge pleasure to present a masterclass at @iclondoncenter today, for the brilliant brass students visiting from @ithacamtd @ictrombones 🇺🇸 These students are spending two weeks in London, taking part in numerous masterclasses with professional brass players, watching all the London orchestras in concert, seeing West End shows, and fully immersing themselves in the London music scene. What an incredible adventure and experience for them all! Some seriously talented young musicians and future stars of the brass world for sure 🎺✨ Thank you so much for inviting me - even in the 35°C London heat! 🙏

Three complete runs through the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy… I’m not entirely sure what that makes it? A trilogy trilogy? A trilogython? Whatever the correct term is, it’s been quite a marathon and an absolute joy doing it with the @londonphilharmonicorchestra and this brilliant low brass section 🩷 Sold out, standing ovations every night, and we even got to meet Gandalf himself, Ian McKellen, last night… which honestly felt pretty special. And tonight, in true fellowship fashion, the lads even came back to mine for interval drinks 🍷 Scroll for the evidence ➡️

Repost • @siddkhoslamusic One whole week of Swapped! Here’s another behind the scenes showing some more sounds inside @abbeyroadstudios.

Absolutely stunning work by @siddkhoslamusic and the entire music team on @skydanceanimation’s Swapped. I had the immense pleasure of playing didgeridoo on this soundtrack. Sourcing the exact pitch didgeridoos proved a little tricky, but thanks to Tim, and the expert help of Danny and Rich with their amazing mathematical brains, we worked out the precise measurements needed to take off one didgeridoo! It was such a fun session with the amazing @markgrahamcreative at Abbey Road Studios (thanks again for having me!), and incredible hearing the results in the control room afterwards… especially learning that I was providing sounds for the villain, the FireWolf! Looking forward to finally watching the movie this weekend. Here are a few photos ➡️ I can’t imagine many didgeridoos have enjoyed a few nights on their own bunk on a tour bus before 😂 Now streaming on Netflix and already in the global Top 10 and Top 1 for kids. The soundtrack is out now as well. Repost • @siddkhoslamusic 🙏