After studying at Manchester High School for
Girls, Gemma entered Chetham's School of Music. Gemma began playing the piano at the age of four, her
main teachers being Helen Krizos and John Gough. At Chetham's she studied with
Peter Lawson and played in masterclasses with Peter Donohoe, Noriko Ogawa
and Norma Fischer. She has enjoyed considerable success as a pianist in
festivals throughout the North of England and, in addition to winning the Mrs
Sunderland Junior Recital Prize and the Concerto Competition in Huddersfield,
Gemma was awarded, in 1998, the Sheila Mossman Prize of the Associated Board of
the Royal Schools of Music for gaining the highest national mark in Grade 8
Piano Examination.
In addition to playing the piano, Gemma is also an accomplished violinist, having spent three years as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. Gemma also enjoys composing and her works include several piano pieces, a xylophone rag (written for her sister Lucy who is also studying at Chetham's and was a Finalist in the 2004 Young Musician of the Year) and a movement for String Quartet. In September 2002, Gemma began studying on the Joint Course at the Royal Northern College of Music and the University of Manchester. Her ambition is to play the piano professionally both as soloist and chamber musician.
Born in Cardiff, Denise Beynon read music at Bristol University from where she graduated in 1975. At Bristol she studied conducting with Kenneth Mobbs and Dr. Derek Bourgeois. She then spent a further year studying the viola at the Welsh College of Music and Drama. Denise has worked abroad and in the UK, both as an orchestral player and as a freelance player in London and Glasgow.
Denise now devotes much of her time to her two children and to some private teaching. She works for Salford Education Authority as well as teaching in Stockport schools.
Simon Bowler
Simon Bowler was born in Sheffield in 1970 and his musical
training began with piano lessons from his father. In 1980, he became a cathedral
chorister at Southwell Minster. On leaving the choir, he studied the organ with
Kenneth Beard and was appointed to his first post in 1983 as Organist and
Choirmaster at Upton Parish Church in Nottinghamshire. After studies at London University and
the Royal College of Music where he gained his B.Mus (Hons) and his ARCM (Organ
Performance), Simon was appointed Assistant Master of Music at Peterborough Cathedral in
1993. During his time at Peterborough, he made three recordings on CD and made several
live broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 as an organist.
In 1995, he moved to Brighton as Director of Music at St. Peters Church and in 1997, was appointed to the staff in the Academic Music Department at Chetham‘s School of Music, Manchester, where he also directed the chamber choir.
After conducting local youth orchestras and several choirs whilst at school, Simon organised and conducted many concerts with fellow students at the Royal College. He was also assistant conductor of New Sussex Opera and founded a chamber orchestra and choir in Brighton. He was conductor of the Macclesfield Youth Orchestra and was Choral Musical Director of the King Edward Musical Society, Macclesfield. He also worked with other orchestras in the North West, such as the Northern Baroque and Liverpool Mozart Players.
In January 2000, Simon was appointed the Musical Director of the Gorton Philharmonic Society but in September 2001, he took up an appointment as Director of Music, Bryanston School, Dorset.
Rosie lives in Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. She started playing the piano at the age of 5 and has since won many prizes in music festivals around the country. In July 2001 she played the Shostakovich 2nd Piano Concerto with Stockport Youth Orchestra and in September 2002 played the first movement of the Grieg Piano Concerto with the Manchester Camerata. Rosie played the piano in her school jazz band and also gave piano lessons to a few young pupils. She played the cello in the Stockport Youth Orchestra and the new Hallé Youth Orchestra and passed Grade 8 cello with distinction. She studied English literature, history, music and biology at Cheadle Hulme School and is now studying music at York University. Her main interests are art and music and her hobbies include tennis, which she played for the Stockport Borough Squad and Ryecroft tennis club.
The Corallia Duo was formed in 2003 by Fiona
Slominska (flute) and Louise Thomson (harp) whilst bot
h
were studying at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. They have
performed extensively throughout the United Kingdom in recitals, private
functions and corporate events. The music they perform is diverse and exciting,
displaying their instruments' unusual and impressive abilities.
Fiona was a music scholar at Uppingham School, Rutland and studied the flute at RNCM with Peter Lloyd. She won the Geoffrey Gilbert Flute Prize and was a finalist in the Granada Prize, performing Ravel's Chanson Madecasses. In her final year, Fiona was awarded the RNCM's Diploma in Professional Performance, completing her studies with a B.Sc (1st class Hons) degree. She made her professional debut with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and has also worked with the Halle Orchestra. She is now the flute tutor on the National Schools Symphony Orchestra course and teaches at Uppingham and Oundle Schools.
Louise studied at Chethams School of Music, Manchester with Eira Lynn Jones and in her final year won the Ida Carroll String Prize. She continued to study with Eira Lynn Jones whilst at the RNCM and in 2003, was awarded 1st place at the Open Harp Finals of the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales. In January 2005, Louise made her professional debut with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Louise graduated from the RNCM with a First Class Honours in her Bachelor of Music degree. She performs regularly as a member of the Corallia Duo as well as solo recitals.
Born in Canada of British parentage, Sarah
studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester and the NOS. Most
recently she performed the role of Emily Benson and covered Diana Devereaux in Of
Thee I Sing for Opera North. Last year, she played Hansel as well as
covering Trigesta in Croesus for Opera North and covering Cenerentola in Cenerentola
for Scottish Opera. She has also sung Hata in Smetana's Bartered Bride for
Mid Wales Opera, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Preggio Festival
and Nassiedka in May Night at Garsington.
She has also covered Hansel (Opera North); sang Mercedes in Carmen (Mid Wales); sang the roles of Hannah in Mary Queen of Scots and Despina in Cosi fan Tutte (ETO); and covered Meg in Merry Wives of Windsor (Buxton). Sarah has appeared at Glyndebourne in the role of Tetka in Jenufa, covered the parts of Olga (Eugene Onegin), Flora (Family Matters), Kitchen Boy and Kuchtik (Rusalka) and Perichole (La Perichole).
Oratorios which Sarah has performed include Verdi's Requiem, Handel's Messiah with Sir David Willcocks, Elgar's Dream of Gerontius, Bach's B minor Mass, and Rossini's Petite Messe and Stabat Mater. Halle concerts include Annina (Traviata) with Owain Arwel Hughes. Future engagements include a concert performance as Rosina in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Mid Wales Opera.
Julia began playing the 'cello at the age of seven. Currently taught by Priscilla Hills, she enjoys playing her much-loved German 'cello in small chamber ensembles, in various orchestras and for charity concerts. She is presently studying Modern Languages at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, where she also plays in the University Orchestra.
As a career, Julia's ultimate aim is to work behind the scenes in television and she was privileged to obtain work experience at the BBC in London. Although her career may not necessarily involve music, her 'cello will continue to play an important role throughout her life.
Born and educated in Bolton, Philip's principal instrument is the oboe. He studied music at Newcastle on Tyne with Denis Matthews and was appointed Director of Music at Cheadle Hulme School five years ago.
As an oboist, Philip gives instrumental recitals and also enjoys orchestral work. He is an Adjudicator on the Music Festival circuit and is an Examiner for Trinity College of Music, London. One of his interests is Marathon running and he has taken part in both London and Manchester Marathons.
Alex, aged fifteen, lives in Lytham St. Annes
and comes from a musical family. His brother and sister are also musicians and
his
mother is a violin and cello teacher. He began playing the piano aged five
and took up the French horn at the age of seven after hearing his parents
perform in a Blackpool Symphony Orchestra concert which included a Horn Concerto
by Mozart. At the age of nine, Alex was awarded a place at Chethams School of
Music, Manchester where he studies with Lizzie Davies.
Alex has been a member of the National Youth Orchestra (NYO) since he was twelve and has worked under conductors such as Marin Alsop, Gianandrea Noseda and Sir Colin Davis. He has also played in masterclasses with horn players such as David Pyatt, Michael Thompson and Richard Watkins. Alex recently achieved his DipABRSM and hopes to continue his musical education, after his A levels, at a London music college. Alex was recently a semi-finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition 2006.
He would like to be a soloist, orchestral player and teacher and, aside from music, Alex enjoys football, cricket and listening to Stevie Wonder and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Rebecca Gilliver studied at the Menuhin School, the Royal Northern College of Music and in Basel; her teachers included Ralph Kirshbaum, Melissa Phelps and Moray Welsh. Success in competitions in the UK and the US led to critically acclaimed debuts in the Wigmore Hall (Pierre Fournier Award) and Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, New York (East-West Artists).
Currently co-principal cellist at the London Symphony Orchestra, Rebecca also works as principal with orchestras abroad and has played in Sweden, Holland, South Africa and Australia. She has recorded for the BBC in various roles; as recitalist with Roger Vignoles; on television with the Andrusier Ensemble, which specialises in suppressed music; and with various new music ensembles. Other chamber music pursuits include a recent release of a CD of Ensescu chamber music with the Solomon Ensemble and participation in IMS Prussia Cove. Rebecca enjoys the generous loan of an old English cello by Gilkes.
Nicola
studied with Clare McFarlane before entering the Royal Northern College of
Music, where she was taught by Richard Deakin and Roger Raphael. With the
support of the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, she then studied for her
postgraduate diploma at the Royal College of Music in London with Levon
Chilingirian, graduating with distinction in July 2001.
Over
the past few years, Nicola has taken part in masterclasses with Ida Haendel,
Mauricio Fuks and Franco Gulli. Recent performances include the Vivaldi Concerto
for Four Violins at the RCM and the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E
minor in Wales.
From
1995 to 1999 she was the Leader of the Hatfield String Quartet, formed at the
RNCM where they won the Terence Weil Prize for chamber music. During this time,
the Quartet performed extensively in the Midlands and the North, including
concerts in the Sheffield Crucible Theatre and the Uppingham Concert Series.
Nicola
was a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester in 1999 and now works with
orchestras including the City of London Sinfonia, BBC Concert Orchestra and
Manchester Camerata. She is currently on trial for a position in the BBC
Symphony Orchestra and was recently appointed co-principal of the
Philharmonisches Orchester Erfurt in Germany.
Andrew studied Viola and Piano at the Royal College of Music under Bernard Shore and Hilda Klein and studied conducting with John Russell and Sir Adrian Boult, gaining an ARCM and GRSM. He played viola for the Festival Ballet Orchestra and later joined the Iceland Chamber Music Players.
After taking a post-graduate teaching diploma, Andrew taught violin and viola in the North of England and then in the Midlands, also free-lancing as an orchestral viola player, and conductor including Songs of Praise and Sunday Half Hour for the BBC. For 21 years, he was on the staff of the National Children's Orchestra as viola tutor and as one of the assistant conductors.
Andrew has now retired from the Staffordshire Performing Arts where he was Co-ordinator for the County Music School and staff mentor. Apart from conducting and free-lance playing, he is a Learning Advisor for the Musicians Union, a Trustee for Peak District Music Centres and a very active grandfather, leaving little time for his hobbies of gardening, cooking and car mechanics.
Born in Bolton, Jan Hutchings learned much of the repertoire from her mother, the contralto Jean Ruckledge. After studying music to 'A' level and then at college, she embarked on a teaching career in Warrington, gaining the L.T.C.L. in performance singing four years later. She has made many solo appearances in the area, including concerts with Warrington Music Society and, indeed Gorton Philharmonic Society, way back in 1985. During this time she took many leading roles with Warrington Light Opera.
Solo work was 'put on hold' for a few years after Jan gave birth to a daughter and then twin girls but during this time, Jan continued to sing with the highly successful unaccompanied vocal ensemble, Opus XI under the skilful direction of Roger Wilkes. Jan has now returned to the stage, taking principal roles in Warrington Light Opera's operettas and she finds time to sing with the vocal quartet Bel Canto as well as working as a part-time music teacher.
Sam King was born in Croydon in 1966 and took up the clarinet at the age of eleven, inspired by such diverse performers as Acker Bilk and Jack Brymer. After a school career which included the opportunity to play at major London concert halls and tour Europe with the prize-winning Bromley Youth Concert Band, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge to read music. Here he served for some time as Principal Clarinet in the Cambridge University Music Society First Orchestra and appeared as soloist in concertos by Mozart and Finzi, as well as giving several solo and chamber music recitals. In addition, he sang with the Chapel Choir and continued his activities as a composer, gaining an M.Phil in composition in 1988.
Since graduating, Sam has taught music in various guises, both as an instrumentalist and an academic, while continuing his postgraduate studies, which lead in 1999 to a Ph.D in the music of Elliott Carter. In 1993, he took up his current post on the Academic Music Staff at Chetham's School of Music, Manchester and he has been appointed as Musical Director of Bolton Youth Orchestra.
Annabelle Lawson lives in North-East Derbyshire. She
studied the piano at Chetham's School of Music, Manchester, where she was taught by her father, Peter
Lawson, and Ronan O'Hara. She has taken part in classes given by Philip Fowke, Sulamita
Aronovsky, Maria Curcio, Stephen Hough, Arnaldo Cohen and Christopher Elton.
Annabelle has given performances throughout the UK and she took part in a school tour of Kent and East Sussex, giving workshops and concerts in Primary and Secondary schools .
In Manchester, she has played in the Bridgewater Hall's 'A Little Bite Music' lunchtime concert series and in 1995, as a member of Chetham's Lower School, she gave a concerto performance at the Royal Northern College of Music. In 1998, she appeared as soloist in de Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain with Chetham's Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier (recently released on CD) and again with the Hallé Orchestra. In 1999, she performed Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos with her father in the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool.
Frank studied the violin with Rudolph Botta from the age of twelve. After taking a degree in History and a research degree in American Studies at Manchester University, he began a career in lecturing. He is currently Head of American Studies at Liverpool Hope University College. Frank plays in theatre shows and chamber groups and frequently helps at orchestral concerts throughout the North-West region. He was appointed Leader of the Manchester Beethoven Orchestra in 1991 and is now their Musical Director. Up to 2004, Frank was Sub-leader of the Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Jane is 18 years old and comes from Ayrshire in Scotland. She began learning the cello aged eight at her primary school and subsequently studied for four years at the Junior School of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. In 2004, she successfully auditioned for Chetham's School of Music in Manchester where she studied with Nicholas Jones.
Jane has had much success with her instrument over the years and in 2004 won prizes for the best overall performance and the best string player at the Ayrshire Music Festival. She took part in the 2005 BBC Young Musician competition and reached the quarterfinals at The Sage in Gateshead. She has appeared a a soloist with the Halle Chorus and has competed in the Dublin Music Festival where she won a prize for her performance of Haydn's Cello Concerto in C. Jane was Principal Cellist in the Chetham's Symphony Orchestra and has travelled extensively as Principal Cellist in the National Childrens Orchestra of Scotland. She began her studies at the Royal College of Music in September 2008, where she gained a scholarship. She is studying with Melissa Phelps.
Charlotte was born in Huddersfield and she started playing the horn at the age of eleven and became a pupil at Chetham's School of Music in 1996, where she studied with Douglas Scarfe of Opera North.
She took part in solo, chamber and orchestral performances, both nationally and internationally, and toured with Chetham's Symphony Orchestra. Charlotte won a scholarship to study with former LSO Principal Horn, Hugh Seenan, at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Oliver Nelson was born in Glasgow and began learning the
violin at the age of six. He gained scholarships to both Canford School
and the Royal Academy of Music. During his time at the Academy, Oliver studied
the violin with Xue-Wei and conducting with Denise Ham and appeared as leader
and soloist with the Academy String Orchestra. His achievements include winning
the Academy Concerto Competition, the Winifred Small Violin Competition and the
building of his concerto repertoire with the Christchurch Sinfonia, Da Vinci
Ensemble, Dorset Youth Orchestra and Gli Amici della Musica. He is now in high
demand as a recitalist with Peter Croser and Roy Stratford and soloist with such
orchestras as the Amaretti Ensemble, Dorking Philharmonia,, Dorset Chamber
Orchestra, Hertford Symphony Orchestra, High Peak Symphony Orchestra, Manchester
Beethoven Orchestra, Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra and the Winchester Symphony
Orchestra. His recent engagements have included Dvorak and Bach concertos in
Woking and Stockport respectively and Mozart’s 3rd and 5th
concertos with the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra in Muscat, Oman. He is due to
play Mozart’s 3rd concerto later this year at the Canford Summer
School of Music and the Korngold Concerto with Andrew Hodkinson and the High
Peak Symphony Orchestra in Buxton next year. Oliver teaches the violin at
Hindhead Music Centre in Surrey.
Robin
studied conducting at the Royal
Northern College of Music where he was a major prizewinner. Robin is Music
Director of new music group e2K and of
the Honley Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Music Director elect of Preston Opera
and Assistant Conductor of the Manchester Boys Choir. He has held posts as principal
conductor of the Edgware Symphony Orchestra, assistant conductor of the Amadeus
Orchestra and guest conductor of the Colne Valley Youth Orchestra. He has worked
as assistant conductor to Michael Rosewell with Clonter Opera and recent
appearances include the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra, the RNCM Sinfonietta, the
Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra and the Wrexham Symphony Orchestra. He began his
studies with Christopher Adey and has worked with Mark
Wigglesworth at the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and David Parry at Opera
North, taken masterclasses with
Mark Elder, Zubin Mehta and Gerard Schwarz and had consultations from Sir Colin Davis, Oliver
Knussen, Odaline de la Martinez, Nicolae Moldoveanu, John Lubbock and William
Boughton. Robin studied composition with Robin Holloway and writes on music.
Carla Rees completed her BMus and MMus degrees at the Royal College of Music, studying flute and composition. Since graduating in 1999, she has become a leading alto flute specialist working to raise the profile of the instrument through research, performance and commissioning new repertoire. She plays the world's first fully quarter tone Kingma system alto flute, an instrument with which she is able to break new ground in contemporary techniques and repertoire. Carla was Principal Flute of the National Wind Orchestra of Great Britain for several years and has performed flute concerto both in the UK and abroad. She now holds teaching posts at Nottingham University and at Wycombe Abbey School.
From an early age Mark Robinson has been involved in conducting, trumpet/cornet playing, singing and composition. Formerly of Brighouse and Rastrick Band and the Northern Sinfonia, he studied at Huddersfield (winning the Lawrence Turner Prize) and York Universities, the Royal College of Music, under George Hurst and the late Sir Georg Solti, and at the Darmstadt International Institute.
He has a wide interest in many forms of music, which have been reflected in his career to date. At present he is working with the Contemporary Music ensemble IXION in London and Kala Sangam, a South Asian arts organisation based in Bradford. He is a regular conductor with the Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra.
A graduate in German from University College, London, Angela has a particular
love of Lieder and French and English song. In recent years she has performed concerts and
recitals throughout England and Wales, including a solo concert at Lyme Hall and gala
concerts in Huddersfield and Dewsbury. She performed in concerts in France during 1998 and
1999 and enjoyed a successful tour of Romania during June 1999.
She has performed in many oratorios including Messiah, Creation, Elijah, Dvorak's Mass in D, Rutter and Fauré Requiem, Rossini's Stabat Mater, Haydn's Nelson Mass, Elgar's For the Fallen, Gounod's Messe Solenelle and Vivaldi's Gloria.
Angela studies with Kieran McNiff and takes opportunities for coaching from Rae Woodland, Brian Mackay and Paul Farrington. In February '98, Angela won the prestigious Rose Bowl and the Vocal Recital Prize in the Mrs Sunderland Music Competition in Huddersfield and during that year, she was invited to sing in a public masterclass in London with Thomas Hemsley.
Lenny
Sayers was born in Bradford in 1977 and studied music at York University,
followed by a post-graduate course at the Royal Northern College of Music in
Manchester under the tuition of Barry Gregson and Nicholas Cox. Whilst at RNCM,
Lenny achieved the prestigious Professional Performance Diploma, as well as a
Post Graduate Diploma and a Master's degree in performance, all with
distinction. In June 2001, he was a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Musician
of the Year and performed with the BBC Concert Orchestra in the Queen Elizabeth
Hall in London.
Lenny has been a freelance clarinet player since September 2001 and has performed with the Hallé Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Manchester Camerata. He is also a member of the Fell Clarinet Quartet who frequently perform as part of Live Music Now! bringing music to sections of the community, such as special schools and adult day-centres, who would not otherwise experience it.
Nicholas
Simpson was born in
In the 1990s Simpson earned a living as a criminal lawyer, composing in
his spare time, but quit to be a professional musician on moving back to
In 2005 his Symphony No. 2 was
recorded by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and broadcast on Radio 3. His piece for the Fell Clarinet Quartet, Mardale
Changes, has been performed at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and in
Scotland. He is now working on a 3rd symphony. Scheduled for 2007 were two
performances of his oratorio Recreation,
recently nominated for the British Composer awards. He is Music Director
of the Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra,
Nick Simpson is married and has three children.
Teleri-Siân
Teleri-Siân received her first piano lessons from her father when she was three years old and gave her first solo performance a year later. Whilst still at school in North Wales, she joined the Junior Department at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) where she later continued her studies as a full time student, graduating in 2000 with a BMus(Hons). During her time at RNCM, she was awarded a prize for the most promising pianist of her year.
Teleri-Siân has competed successfully in many competitions, twice winning the Piano Competition at Urdd Eisteddfod of Wales and twice winning the Instrumental Blue Riband at the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales. Her solo piano playing has taken her to various European countries, Hong Kong and America as well as many venues throughout Great Britain.
Teleri-Siân is also a linguist and speaks Welsh, English, French and Italian fluently and in July 2004 graduated from Manchester University with a Masters degree in Modern Languages.
Stephen Threlfall
Stephen Threlfall, the Society's President, began his conducting career when asked to conduct Weill's Threepenny Opera for the Manchester Youth Theatre. Following this, he was a participant in the European Conductors' Seminar in 1985 and also in the prestigious Leeds Conducting Competition in 1991. A graduate of the RNCM he was, for a number of years, sub principal cello with the BBC Philharmonic, having also played with many of this country's leading orchestras.
Stephen has held a number of conducting posts with both orchestras and choirs and has performed extensively throughout the UK and Europe. He is currently principal conductor of Cordial Company Opera, the Philharmonic Chamber Strings and, until recently, of the Hemsted Forest Youth Orchestra. His wide variety of guest engagements has included ensembles such as the BBC Philharmonic, the Northern Symphony, Lakeland Sinfonietta, Isle of Wight, Liverpool Concert and Maidstone Symphony Orchestras. He was a staff member of the orchestral training programme at Trinity College of Music, London and has conducted in France, the Netherlands and Germany.
Stephen has organised many charity concerts with both large and small ensembles. These have included concerts for the RNLI, Papworth Hospital, local hospices throughout the country and a major concert in 1992 in aid of the British Heart Foundation, when he brought together players from the top orchestras in England. He has also organised choral weekends, competitions for young players and the highly successful Benenden Music Festival.
Stephen became Director of Music at Chetham's School of Music in September 1995 and subsequently has conducted performances of Handel's Messiah for Crisis in December 1995 and 1996, both of which were broadcast nationally by Classic FM and raised over £100,000 for the charity. The 1995 concert was made into a CD in a record breaking 14 hours after the concert.
He directs his own ensemble, the Philharmonic Chamber Strings, whose members include principal players from the country's leading orchestra, the group recently completing its third concert series in the South East.
Stephen is the Gorton Philharmonic Society's President and, as such, maintains close links with the Orchestra. This also has enabled the Society to benefit from associations with many of the gifted young musicians at Chetham's School of Music who have performed concertos with the orchestra.
Andrew
comes from Hornby
near Northallerton, North Yorkshire. He started playing the piano when he was 6
and began playing the French Horn with the North Yorkshire Music
Service. Andrew followed his brother Christopher to Chetham's School of Music,
Manchester in September 2002 where he now studies with Elizabeth Davis. Prior to
that he spent a year learning with Peter Francomb, Principal Horn of the
Northern Sinfonia.
Andrew has played with many ensembles both in his home county and at Chetham's. He was a member of the National Children's Orchestra for 2 years and in 2002 was Principal Horn with the under-13's orchestra. He received a very high distinction for his DipABRSM and was a brass semi-finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2006. He is currently Principal Horn of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.
Claire Wickes
Claire Wickes is 17 years old and studies flute
at Chetham's School of Music with Kathryn Baker, the Principal Flautist of the
Hallé Orchestra. She has been playing the flute since the age of nine and is
the current Principal Flautist of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain,
which she has been a member of for the last four years. She joined Chetham's
School of Music at the age of 16 and was awarded the winner of the Chetham's
Concerto Competition in February 2008 and therefore recently performed
Bernstein's 'Halil' Concerto with Chetham's Symphony Orchestra.
She has won many other prestigious prizes, such as the British Flute Society Performance Plus Competition, and was awarded the prize for the most promising woodwind player in the National Children's Orchestra, which she was a member of for two years. Next year, Claire intends to read music at Oxford University and subsequently study flute at postgraduate level in order to ultimately follow a career as a professional flautist.
Born in Swansea in 1971, Huw Williams was awarded the Organ
Scholarship at Christ's College, Cambridge from where he graduated in June 1992. While at
Cambridge, he gained the Limpus Prize for best performance in the Fellowship of the Royal
College of Organists. He also directed the Chapel Choir on four tours and was Musical
Director for three productions by the University Gilbert and Sullivan Society.
He later studied Organ and Church Music at the Royal Academy of Music, his teachers including Nicholas Danby, David Titterington, Patrick Russill and David Sanger. While in London, he was Organ Scholar at St.
Paul's Cathedral and he gained a M.Mus. and a Diploma in Advanced Studies. In 1995 he was appointed Assistant Organist at Hereford Cathedral where he made three recordings and four radio broadcasts with the Cathedral Choir and was closely involved with the famous Three Choirs Festival. He was Conductor of the Hereford Chamber Choir between May 1995 and February 1998.
Huw has performed the Poulenc Concerto for Organ, Strings and Timpani at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea with the London Mozart Players and more recently, with the City of London Sinfonia at St. Paul's as part of the City of London Festival. He has given recitals in the UK and abroad in Germany, Holland and Israel.
Huw took up his post as Sub Organist and Assistant Director of Music at St.Paul's Cathedral in February 1998 and since then has appeared on two broadcasts and four recordings with the Cathedral Choir.