Chris Houlding gained his LRAM while still at school studying with John Iveson. He subsequently won a place at the Guildhall School of Music in London studying the trombone with Denis Wick, Peter Gane and Eric Crees and was awarded the Principal's Prize. He was a member of the European Youth Orchestra and has subsequently played with the LSO (USA, Japan), LPO, RPO, Academy of St. Martins in the Fields, London Brass, the Halle (Hong Kong, Australia) and Opera North. He is Senior Trombone Tutor at the RNCM and also teaches at Chethams School of Music in Manchester.