Sue Baxendale is the Principal Horn of Scottish Opera and the Horn Tutor at the Music School of Douglas Academy and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (Junior Conservatoire). She regularly tutors students of all ages on orchestral and chamber music courses, including Malvern Winds which she also co-directs.

A graduate of the University of Birmingham with a BA(Hons) English and Music, and postgraduate of the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, Sue freelanced with the majority of the UK's orchestras before being appointed Principal Horn of the Orchestra of Scottish Opera in 1996.

A varied portfolio musician and passionate about working creatively with young musicians, Sue combines her opera and teaching commitments with a thriving freelance performance career with all the orchestras across Scotland (horn, natural horn and Wagner Tuba).

She also works as a freelance creative producer and project manager for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Lammermuir Festival and McOpera Outreach for whom she devises and delivers outreach work for children, young people and adults.

Sue is delighted to have worked with many talented young horn players now working as professional musicians, studying at conservatoires and universities or in the horn sections of NYOGB and NYoS. She is looking forward to welcoming the next generation of horn players to the Music School.