One of Scotland's leading musicians is to return to the stage after 12 years in academia.

Professor John Wallace, a virtuoso trumpet player, will resume his glittering performance career after he leaves his post of principal at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), in Glasgow, at the end of August.

Professor Wallace, 64, was the principal trumpet player of the London Sinfonietta, and principal trumpeter of the Philharmonia Orchestra for nearly two decades, as well as performing at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

Wallace played the lead trumpet for Handel's Let The Bright Seraphim, which was famously sung by Dame Kiri te Kanawa at the wedding.

Mr Wallace is reforming his Wallace Collection group and is planning to perform in a series of concerts.

The musician, originally from Methilhill in Fife, is practising his instrument again and is working up to the 24 hours a week of rehearsal that he performed in the prime of his career.

He also said he was ­returning to his own brass compositions he wrote in the 1970s and hopes to enlist the leading Scottish composer, James MacMillan, in aiding him in composition. He will perform ­MacMillan's Epiclesis on April 18 at the Caird Hall, Dundee, and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland Symphony Orchestra.

Mr Wallace, CBE, will also perform in a version of Mussorgsky's Pictures at the Exhibition on May 27 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London.

Wallace said that the RCS, considered one of the top talent schools in the UK, will have a stable future whether Scotland votes for independence or not in September.

He said: "We've looked at the scenarios and I think with Plan A or Plan B we will be alright."