Miranda Francis studied Double Bass, Organ and Piano Accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music, where she won several major academic prizes. She became University of London Organ Scholar in 1987, and went on to study Ethnomusicology as a postgraduate student at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. She joined the staff of the Purcell School in 1999, and was appointed Head of Academic Music in 2002. She also established the Jazz department at the school, and she has composed over 300 arrangements for jazz ensembles. Miranda is currently Prinicipal Examiner of Performance at Advanced Level for Edexcel, and she plays a leading role in GCE syllabus development. She also runs teachers’ courses all over the country and has published several articles for academic journals, including Classroom Music.
Edward Longstaff studied at Royal Holloway College and Goldsmith’s College. He joined the staff of the Purcell School in 1993, became Head of Academic Music in 1999 and was appointed Assistant Director of Music in 2002. He conducts the school choirs, Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia and the Contemporary Ensemble.
Edward is also a composer. His work has been broadcast on BBC television and Radio 3 – most recently, his orchestral piece That Short Thing was broadcast on Performance on 3 - and he has had pieces published by Novello’s and Maecenas. Recent commissions have included pieces for Chaconne Brass, Exaudi, the New London Chamber Ensemble, the Royal Northern College of Music Wind Band and a Clarinet Concerto for Sarah Williamson.
Robert Workman began his studies at the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Leon Taylor and Roger Harvey. He then continued into the senior department studying with Eric Crees, Simon Wills and John Kenny. In his final year he was awarded the prize for the most outstanding brass student. As a freelance trombonist Robert works with the BBC Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestras. He is a member of the Carl Rosa Opera Orchestra and Rob has toured the country with productions of Gilbert and Sullivan. He has a particular interest in contemporary music theatre and works in that field with Music Theatre Wales, one of the leading companies in Britain.
Tony Cross studied at Wells Cathedral School, the City University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His busy freelance career initially centred round an interest in contemporary music most notably with the London Sinfonietta, Fires of London and Frankfurt’s Ensemble Modern. He has played with the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Opera House, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Mozart Players and the Britten Sinfonia. From 1998 he spent two seasons as assistant principal in the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in Norway and taught at the Bergen Conservatoire. He is currently studying to teach the Alexander Technique with a particular interest in applying the work to trumpet performance.
Stephen Wick studied at the University of Surrey where he gained a first-class honours degree in music. He is a tuba player, conductor, arranger and teacher and has played with all the great London orchestras and on hundreds of soundtracks for films, TV and advertisements. He was a member of the Oslo Philharmonic, and has since appeared with leading orchestras from Berlin, Hamburg, Paris and Amsterdam. He has made a special study of the precursors of the tuba, including the serpent and the ophicleide, and has appeared with many period instrument orchestras including Les Arts Florissants, Orchestre des Champs Elysees and the Academy of Ancient Music.
His conducting has taken him as far afield as Australia and Scandinavia and he directs a prize winning Wind Orchestra at the Latymer School in north London, where he is Head of Brass. As well as conducting and playing he also arranges music and teaches. He directs the Brass Ensemble at the Junior Dept. of the Royal Academy and teaches at the Purcell School.
Alison Cox studied at the RNCM and won a number of prizes and awards, including the 1978 Royal Philharmonic Society Prize for her orchestral piece ‘Trilithon’ and a bursary from the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust to study film music in Australia. She has taught at the Purcell School for 17 years and was appointed Head of Composition in 1997. Alison Cox has developed national and international links with many professional ensembles and organisations including UNESCO, the Nash Ensemble, the London Sinfonietta and the South Bank Centre, and a very large number of professional composers in the UK and abroad. In 2001 Alison Cox was appointed Artistic Director of ENDYMION (formerly The Endymion Ensemble). One of her educational projects ‘The Rising Generation’ invited talented young under-18 composers from all over the country to participate in a special symposium and series of concerts at the South Bank Centre.
In 2004 she was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Alison Cox was invited to organise a special concert at Buckingham Palace in March 2005 as part of the Queen’s Music day, involving outstanding young performers from all the specialist music schools, conservatoires and other organisations in the UK. In November 2005 she was the UK Co-Director for an innovative multicultural musical event in Malta called ‘The Commonwealth Resounds!, involving musicians from 52 different countries, hosted by the Commonwealth People’s Forum linked to CHOGM 2005.
Simon Speare was born and brought up in Cornwall. He studied composition with Simon Holt at City University, London. His music has been widely performed by professional and amateur performers and broadcast on national radio and television. He was Composer in Association with London Concert Choir and Composer in Residence at the Centre for Young Musicians, London. He is artistic director of the ensemble Big Noise, who released their début CD in 2005, and he has devised and presented a contemporary music show on Resonance FM. He teaches composition at The Purcell School, Royal Holloway, University of London and has been a lead composer on the award winning SPNM Sound Inventors education project. Simon is married with a son and daughter and lives in London.
Quentin Poole began his musical career as principal oboe of the City of London Sinfonia and Endymion Ensemble, after graduating from Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music. In partnership with the conductor Ian McMillan, he is a director of the London Pops Orchestra, which is now in its 20th year. His musical arrangements have been performed by a variety of distinguished artists, while his work as a studio producer for film and television spans more than fifteen years. During this time he has been a professor for the National Youth Orchestra and an examiner and adjudicator for all the major music colleges, as well as conducting many first performances in the UK and abroad, including broadcasts for the BBC. Quentin has been at the Purcell School since 1988 as the Head of the Wind Department, and became Director of Music in the autumn of 2001.
Daphne Boden is Professor in charge of Harp at the Royal College of Music and is also Professor of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music. She studied at the Royal College of Music and then at the Brussels Royal Conservatoire with Mireille Flour, where she was awarded the Premier Prix. Daphne has taught in the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music for over 20 years. Her pupils have won many prizes in national and international competitions, and many now hold orchestral positions in the UK and abroad. She has recorded for VIP Records and is a member of the Board of Directors of the World Harp Congress. Daphne was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Music in 1998.
Charlotte Seale studied the harp with Tina Bonifacio whilst at St. Paul’s Girls School, and then with Mireille Flour at the Brussels Conservatoire, where she was awarded the Premier Prix with Distinction. She won a Countess of Munster scholarship to continue her studies with Edward Witsenburg in The Hague. At the age of 23 she was appointed Principal Harpist with the BBC Northern Radio Orchestra where she remained for eight years, whilst also freelancing as a soloist, playing Co-Principal Harp in the Hallé Orchestra, and teaching at the Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s School of Music. She now freelances in London, and is currently professor of Harp at the Royal Academy of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Trinity College of Music. She is a founder and director of the internationally renowned Benslow Harp Course, and is regularly invited to appear on juries and as an examiner and adjudicator.
Simon Colam studied at Salford University before moving to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to complete a degree course. Since then he has performed in various groups including Jazz, Salsa and Commercial Music performing at many leading UK venues including Ronnie Scott's, South Bank Centre, Wembley Arena and Jazz Cafe. He is a member of the Nathan Haines Group, which has recently performed at the North Sea and Montreux Jazz Festivals and the Blue Note, Tokyo. Simon also pursues an active teaching career at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, St. Paul's Girls' School and is Head of Jazz at the Purcell School.
Since moving to London from Cambridge in 1995 to study at the Royal Academy of Music, Oli Hayhurst has worked in a wide range of musical fields, playing double bass, bass guitar and guitarron. He was a founder member of The Orient House Ensemble with Gilad Atzmon with whom he recorded two albums for Enja and toured extensively in the UK and Europe. With Polly Paulusma, he has played all over Italy and toured Europe opening for Bob Dylan. He is working with Tim Whitehead, Respectable Groove, Zoe Rahman, Reem Kelani and Curious Paradise. He has also backed artists as diverse as Vanessa Mae, Bill McHenry, John Parricelli, Maria Ewing, Jim Mullen, Patrizio Buanne, Melanie C, Cara Dillon, Martin Speake and Theo Travis.
Steve Waterman is renowned as one of the top British jazz trumpet players both at home and on the international scene. Steve began his career while studying at Trinity College of Music and since then has worked regularly on the British and European jazz scene.
Steve has a remarkable recording career, spanning the past 20 years, and has worked with a great variety of jazz and cabaret artists worldwide. Steve has his own quintet and in 2003 formed his 18-piece jazz orchestra playing his original compositions.
He is professor of Jazz Trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College of Music in London and visiting Jazz Trumpet specialist at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
A classically trained clarinettist, Jacqui studied saxophone & flute on the jazz course at Leeds College of Music and started singing during her three years there. She continued her education, still as a saxophone player, on the one year post-graduate jazz course at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Shortly after leaving the Guildhall Jacqui joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra as their vocalist and spent the next four years touring and also recording with them - including the vocal album Looking Forward Looking Back.
Since 1993 Jacqui has worked with the jazz/funk band Shakatak, both as backing vocalist and sax player. She's toured Europe and Eastern Europe, South Africa, the Far East & Japan numerous times with them and also appears on their albums Let The Piano Play, View From The City, Under Your Spell, Blue Savannah, Beautiful Day and the MOBO nominated Live At Ronnie Scotts.
Additionally, she sings three tracks of Shakatak drummer, Roger Odell's Beatifik album The Blue Window, released in 2000 and makes a guest appearance on a new compilation album called Smooth Solos - Shakatak & Friends.
Jacqui has also worked with the Latin/Pop band Matt Bianco touring Japan, Indonesia & Europe with them and appears on their albums Gran Via, Another Time:Another Place and a re-working of their greatest hits ; A Collection.
She is a featured vocalist on Paprika Soul's 2002 album Into The Light, including the single Too Much Love Makin', a track that also appears on the JazzFM CD Venice Beach.
Under her own name she released the album Spellbound back in 2000 which was well received by the critics :
"...a beautifully crafted and controlled performance. A fine debut indeed." Jazz Review
"...a singer of warmth, poise and intelligence whose smoky voice is a pleasure to listen to." Yorkshire Post
As a session singer Jacqui has recorded songs for Hal David & John Cacavas, Duncan Lamont, Brian Dee and Johnny Keating, among others. She's worked on several soundtracks including the films Tomb Raider II and Veronica Guerin and appeared in a couple of Radio 4 plays for the BBC. She is currently appearing up and down the country with Paul Lacey's Back To Basie Orchestra.
Carlos is one of the top jazz saxophonists in the UK today. His current band, Mandorla, released its debut CD in early 2009 to great critical acclaim. He has recorded and toured with many groups such as the F-IRE collective (winners of the BBC jazz award for innovation), Justin Quinn's Bakehouse (featured on their award-winning album 'Before I Forget'), Tom Arthurs' Centripede, Barak Schmool's Meta Meta and Zoe Rahman. Additionally he held the sax chair in John Mayer's classic band Indo-Jazz Fusions and featured with salsa greats Roberto Pla and Machito jnr. He is the founder of e17 jazz, London’s most exciting new jazz collective, and a regular tutor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
“Carlos plays with a sound that comes from his soul” David Liebman
www.carloslopez-real.co.uk
William Fong (Head of Keyboard) first came to international attention when he won the first prize, gold medal and Rosa Sabater prize at the Concurso Internacional de Piano in Jaen, Spain in 1984. This was the first of many prizes at international level, which include the Busoni, Cleveland, Iturbi, and Scottish International Competitions. His London concerto debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra at St. John's Smith Square soon followed, and since then he has performed at major venues in cities worldwide. Highlights include his Moscow and St. Petersburg debuts under the auspices of the Sviatoslav Richter Foundation and critically acclaimed tours of Spain and France. As a chamber musician, William performs with ensembles such as the Brodsky Quartet, and the Guildhall Strings. He has recently collaborated with the singers Steve Davislim and James Rutherford. As well as recording for BBC Radio 3, William's performances have been broadcast on Classic FM, BBC television and on European and US radio and television. CD recordings are available on Olympia and Guild Records.
Clare Sutherland studied piano and harpsichord at the Royal College of Music with Bernard Roberts and Ruth Dyson; she was then awarded an Arts Council scholarship to continue her harpsichord studies with Trevor Pinnock. She has performed as a soloist and with leading baroque ensembles at all the major London venues as well as abroad, and has appeared on stage as pianist in productions at the National Theatre and the Lyric. Her keyboard teaching career has included posts at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Napier University and the University of East Anglia. An Associated Board Examiner and Mentor, she continues to work as a free-lance soloist, accompanist and repetiteur.
After his initial studies with James Gibb and Edith Vogel at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Gareth Hunt was awarded a British Council Scholarship to study piano and chamber music with Ferenc Rados and Gyorgy Kurtag at the Franz Liszt Academy. Gareth has performed throughout the UK including recitals at St. John's Smith Square, in the Leeds International Concert Series and the City of London and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. While having a particular interest in the music of central Europe he is also a keen jazz pianist leading his own quartet, GHQ. Gareth has recently been appointed Head of Keyboard at St. Paul's School for Boys.
Emily Jeffrey, born in Sydney, has enjoyed considerable success as a pianist with engagements ranging from a solo concerto performance in the Sydney Opera House to recital performances at New York's Carnegie Hall and London's South Bank. After graduating with Distinction as an Associate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Emily won a number of coveted travelling scholarships, which enabled her to study in Europe, principally at the Royal College of Music, where she won many prizes, culminating in the prestigious Concerto Prize. Emily has made many live television and radio recordings including the first ever Australia-wide simultaneous broadcast for the ABC. In addition to her performing activities, Emily teaches in London at the Royal College of Music and Westminster Cathedral Choir School.
Born in Malaysia, Ching Ching Lim received piano and violin lessons from Flavia de Souza, Kathryn Lye and Mustafa Nawi, and gaining the Licentiate and Fellowship Performer's Diplomas from Trinity College of London and the Associated Board. She was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, studying with Yu Chun-Yee, and subsequently Patricia Carroll and Yonty Solomon. In 1999 she gained her BMus. degree with First Class Honours, subsequently gaining her Master of Music degree with scholarships from the Countess of Munster Trust and the Wall Trust. She has performed as soloist, accompanist and chamber musician in Malaysia, the UK and mainland Europe. Her chamber ensemble - the "Forte Trio" - won the Evans Prize in the Bristol Millennium Chamber Music Competition 2000, and in the same year was awarded a scholarship for the Jeunesses Musicales International Chamber Music Master classes in Germany. Ching Ching also teaches at the Godolphin & Latymer School.
Roshan Magub began piano lessons at the age of six, and at 18 entered the Royal College of Music to continue her studies with Angus Morrison. She subsequently won an Austrian Government scholarship to Vienna, where her teachers were Dr. Josef Dichler, Paul Badura-Skoda and Alfred Brendel. She has played and broadcast in many different countries. In recent years, she has had a busy career as an adjudicator and teacher. She adjudicates and gives master classes regularly for the National Chamber Music Competition for Schools, held each year in England. She has been associated with the Purcell School for several years, both as a parent and as a member of staff. In January 2002, she retired from the post of Head of Keyboard at the School, a post that she had held for over 13 years. She continues to work at the School as a member of its piano teaching faculty.
Tessa Nicholson is well established as a solo pianist, ensemble player and teacher. During a remarkable early career, she made two concerto appearances with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Her studies continued at the Royal Academy of Music, where she was a scholar, and later at the Royal College of Music and then in Italy. Her teachers have included Lamar Crowson, Maria Tipo and Maria Curcio, with whom she studied for five years. Tessa has performed all over the UK and abroad. She has appeared many times on the South Bank and at the Wigmore Hall and has recorded frequently for the BBC and Classic FM. Tessa Nicholson was an examiner for the Associated Board for 17 years and presently, in addition to her work at the Purcell School, she teaches at the Royal Academy of Music and at Trinity College of Music.
Carole Presland’s concerts have taken her all over Europe, the USA and the Far East. She has appeared throughout the UK in venues such as the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, St John’s Smith Square and at major international festivals such as Aldeburgh, Bath and Harrogate. Carole has broadcast regularly for BBC Radio 3, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Radio France and WFMT Radio in the United States and has recorded CDs in various partnerships for labels such as EMI Classics, Pavane and Meridian to wide critical acclaim. Passionate about the chamber music repertoire she has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Colin Carr, Robert Cohen, Nobuko Imai, Ralph Kirshbaum, Anthony Marwood and the Belcea, Chilingirian, Endellion and Vanbrugh String Quartets.
A dedicated teacher Carole is frequently invited to adjudicate, examine and to give masterclasses at specialist music schools, conservatoires and for organisations such as EPTA UK. She has been a Senior Tutor in Piano at the Royal Northern College of Music since 1996.
Valeria Szervanszky studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest with Pal Kadosa and Gyorgy Kurtag. In 1973 she joined the highly prestigious class of Prof. Hans Leygraf in Hanover, and on graduating returned to the Liszt Academy to teach the class for exceptionally gifted children. In 1979 she took up a position as professor of piano at the Musashino Academy of Music in Tokyo and taught in Japan until moving to London in 1986. Active as both a pianist and teacher Valeria Szervanszky travels to Tokyo three times a year for master classes and teaching. She is also in demand for music courses and has taught at the International Bartok Festival in Hungary and the British Kodaly Academy.
Marissa studied at Chetham’s School of Music and went on to read Music at Edinburgh University. There, she won the Tovey Memorial Prize for performance, the Clutterbuck Award, a bursary from the Scott Hope Trust Fund, and performed four concertos with orchestra. She gained a scholarship to study at Mannes College of Music in New York with the Cuban pianist Jacob Lateiner, where she completed a Master’s Degree.
Marissa has given recitals as an accompanist and soloist in France, Germany, Austria, the US and UK, including at the Pump Room, Bath and St Martin-in-the-Fields. She began her teaching career in the piano faculty at Wycombe Abbey School, where she also composed and directed five works for children’s theatre, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Peer Gynt.
She teaches at the Purcell School and the junior department of the Royal Academy of Music.
Deborah Shah studied at the Purcell School and then won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music to study with Christopher Elton. Whilst there she won prizes in solo and chamber music playing as well as awards from The Harold Craxton Trust and The Countess of Munster Trust for further study. She has participated in master classes with William Pleeth, Ralph Kirshbaum, Mstislav Rostropovitch and Maxim Vengerov. She performs regularly as an accompanist and chamber musician throughout the UK, Europe and the USA.
Daniel Smith studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Vanessa Latarche, Piers Lane and Ruth Nye. While a student there he won many prizes for chamber music and was also a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year. He is frequently official accompanist at auditions for the Philharmonia and RPO, for entrance auditions at the Royal College of Music and the NYO, and is currently also staff accompanist at Junior Academy.
Aidan Goetzee began his professional life as an orchestral flute player after studying at the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He won a French Government scholarship and several Arts Council awards for further studies in Paris with Michel Debost. He went on to work with the RPO, Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, London Contemporary Dance, the Lindsay Kemp Company and the contemporary music group Aquarius. As well as playing, he also wrote music for theatre and video and became increasingly involved in the creative applications of recording technology. After working in studios he consolidated his practical experience and gained his MSc in Music Information Technology at City University in 1998. Since then he has taught at Eton College and Westminster School and has established Music Technology departments at Winchester College and Latymer Upper School. Aidan joined the Purcell School in 2001.
Dietmar Assimis-Kohls is the Purcell School's Piano Technician. He worked with Steinway and Sons UK from 1997 to 2006 where he trained in their Restoration Centre to Concert Technician standard, and he has represented Steinway in the UK and overseas at concert and institutional venues.
Charles Sewart was the Adrian Boult Scholar at Westminster School and continued his studies at the Guildhall School with David Takeno and Hans Keller. As a member of the Mistry Quartet 1986-1992 Charles toured extensively, broadcasting for Radio and TV and recording for Decca, Chandos and Unicorn Kanchana. Since1992 Charles has been a member of the Chilingirian Quartet, resident at the Royal College of Music, performing and recording worldwide as well as being highly in demand as teachers. Charles has also worked as soloist and with numerous other prestigious ensembles with a long list of highly acclaimed recordings to his credit, including the violin sonata and other chamber music of Reynaldo Hahn (BBC Music Magazine – CD of the month) and Schubert B flat Trio (BBC Radio 3 “building a library”- overall first choice). Charles continues to be much in demand as a player and since 2006 has been associate conductor/director of the Johann Strauss Gala, performing in most of the top UK venues including this spring, Fairfield Hall, Waterfront Hall, Belfast and the Cadogan Hall.
Pal Banda was born into a musical family in Budapest. His teachers included his father Ede Banda, Gyorgy Kurtag, Sandor Vegh and Ralph Kirshbaum. He has been a member of several ensembles including the Fitzwilliam Quartet and Katin Piano Trio. He is currently the cellist of the Allegri Quartet. Pal also teaches at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, and gives master classes in the USA, Greece, Singapore and the UK.
Alexander Boyarsky graduated from the Gnesin Academy in Moscow where he studied with Alexander Vlasov. Boyarsky taught at the Moscow Music School and Gnesin Academy and for many years held positions as Co-Principal 'cellist in the Moscow State Symphony Orchestras. He has performed together with musicians such as Simon Rowland-Jones, Colin Bradbury, the Belcea Quartet, Eleftheria Kotzia and others. He has taught the cello at the Yehudi Menuhin School and was the music director of the Cadenza Summer School. In 1993 he became professor of 'Cello at the Royal College of Music, London and in 2004 he was made an Honorary Member of the Royal College.
Natalia Pavlutskaya is well known as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher and has established one of the finest cello classes in Russia. She also taught at the conservatoires in the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Since 1999 Natalia has lived in London, where she is a Professor of Cello at Trinity College of Music. Natalia is in constant demand for master classes. In the past she has given classes in the UK, USA, Australia, Russia, Taiwan, Belgium, Greece and New Zealand. She has been a judge at many international competitions, including the Adam Cello Festival and the Antonio Janigro Cello Competition. Natalia performs in the UK, Russia, Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand and makes recordings on the Chandos label.
Ian Jewel studied at the Royal College of Music with Cecil Aronowitz and in Italy with Bruno Giuranna. He is well known as the viola player of the Gabrieli String Quartet: he continues his chamber music playing with the Zivoni Quartet. Ian has given many solo performances, including the Rubbra Concerto with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra on the composer's 75th birthday. Ian is much in demand as a teacher. He is professor of viola and chamber music at the Royal College of Music and is often asked to give courses and master classes. He has been honoured by the Royal Academy of Music with an honorary ARAM and by Essex University with an honorary doctorate. As a conductor he has directed many performances with the Purcell School. Ian has recently recorded a solo CD as well as works by Shostakovich with the Zivoni Quartet.
At the age of nine Antonio Cucchiara was awarded a scholarship to study at the Purcell School. He was subsequently a student of Yossi Zivoni at the Royal Northern College of Music where he was awarded the RNCM Gold Medal and the coveted SEMA Concerto Award. In the same year he was a prizewinner in the Shell/LSO Music Scholarship Finals at the Barbican, appearing with the London Symphony Orchestra. Antonio has appeared as concerto soloist with orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. In 1997 he was appointed Sub-Leader of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and in January 2000, Antonio formed both the Khrysler Ensemble and the Ensemble of London, where he is Artistic Director.
Sadagat Mammadova-Rashidova was born in Azerbaijan and studied at the Buhl-Buhl specialist music school. After receiving her degree from Azerbaijan State Academy of Music she performed as a soloist with the Azerbaijan Symphony Orchestra and performed in Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. She was appointed Head of Strings at the Badalbeyli Music College and, in 1991, worked as a violin teacher at the Cairo Academy of Music during which time she also became assistant leader of the Egyptian National Chamber Orchestra. She was also a member of the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of the Cairo Opera House.
Carol Slater studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Joan Spencer. Max Rostal offered her a place in his Master Class at the Berne Konservatorium and she was given a Scholarship by the Berne University to continue her studies. Carol has given many concerts in the UK, including two at the Wigmore Hall, and has given chamber music performances on the South Bank. She has toured Australia and recorded for the ABC and has given recitals in Spain with her husband Ian Jewel. They have also performed Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante together many times. She has performed many concertos with orchestra including the Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Lalo and Bartók concertos.
Nathaniel Vallois was born in Paris in 1974 and gave his first solo performance aged nine in Sion, Switzerland. The recipient of many prizes and awards, he gave his U.K. solo debut in 1993, playing Bartok’s First Concerto in Canterbury Cathedral, as part of the Festival. Since then, he has performed extensively as soloist and chamber musician in the U.K. He has given many concerto and recital appearances in London’s main venues and at music festivals in Britain. He is invited to perform, broadcast and give masterclasses abroad, including in France, Germany, Spain, Romania, Turkey, Israel, South Africa and the U.S.A. Nathaniel Vallois is the Senior Violin Teacher at the Birmingham Conservatoire and teaches at the Purcell School of Music. His recordings include a recital CD of French music, “Beau Soir”, and a disc devoted to Hugh Wood’s chamber music. 2010 performances include performances of the Britten Concerto in Coventry Cathedral, in Birmingham and London, Brahms Concerto in Germany and recitals in Spain and Israel. Nathaniel has a great interest in historical artists and recordings, is a regular contributor to The Strad magazine and a consultant for record companies.
Tom Marandola studied English and Music at Edinburgh University and went on to do a post-graduate year at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He subsequently joined Scottish Opera and sang with many companies including Glyndebourne, Opera North, The D’Oyly Carte, Kent Opera, New Sadlers Wells Opera and Music Theatre Wales. He has also performed in several musicals including ‘Chess’ in the West End where he took over as chorus director in addition to his performing duties. Session work has included many musicals with the TER label and many broadcasts of Friday Night is Music Night with BBC Radio 2. Tom started teaching at the Arts Educational School, subsequently moving on to the Purcell School and Laine Theatre Arts. The diverse nature of his students means that he has taught a broad range of repertoire and styles. Several of his musical theatre students are appearing in major West End musicals and national tours.
Cassandra White studied at the Purcell School for two years under the Government Aided Music and Dance Scheme, before completing her undergraduate degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Whilst studying, Cassandra sang recitals as part of the Renfield Recital Series and also sang as a soloist in Herbert Howells' Requiem in a Chamber Choir Tour of Scotland. She has performed solos in Bach's Mass in B Minor, Mozart's Requiem, the Brahms Requiem, and in Vaughan Williams' ‘Sinfonia Antarctica’. She was also involved in the world première of ‘Weimar’ composed by Adam Gorb. More recently Cassandra sang in the Purcell School's performance of Haydn's Nelson Mass, having returned to the School as a singing teacher in 2004.
Sarah Burnett is an active freelance orchestral player working with a wide variety of orchestras nationwide. She is currently Principal Bassoon of Glyndebourne Touring Opera, the Britten Sinfonia and the Haffner Wind Ensemble, joining the latter two in 2002. Among others, Sarah has played as guest principal for the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales,the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Mozart Players, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. She holds the position as professor of bassoon at the Royal College of Music, as well as teaching at the Purcell School.
David Fuest studied at the Royal College of Music where he won many prizes including the Frederick Thurston Clarinet Prize, the Lambeth Music Award and the Ivan Sutton Recording Prize. At this time he also gave the UK première of the Françaix Concerto at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. On leaving college he toured many parts of the world with such groups as the Koenig Ensemble and Endymion. He has always remained a freelance player and has played with most of the British orchestras and all the London orchestras, often as guest principal and is the principal clarinet with the New London Orchestra. Teaching is very important to David and he has had many successful pupils at the Purcell School as well as at St. Paul’s Boys’ School and the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music.
Anna Pope took up the flute while in the junior department of the Royal Academy of Music. She then pursued her academic interest at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, graduating with a first in Russian. She continued her flute studies with William Bennett, also taking part in his master classes. Anna has given recitals in the Purcell Room, for festivals in this country, Italy, Germany and Sweden, and made several broadcasts on Swedish Radio. Her ensemble Pipe Dreams has recorded a CD of music for two flutes and piano. Anna has been a professor of flute at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music since 1985 and was awarded an honorary ARAM in 2000. She also teaches at the Godolphin and Latymer School. For the last ten years her pupils have been a continuous presence in the National Youth Orchestra flute section including two principals. Pupils have reached the final stages of major competitions, notably Juliette Bausor who won the Shell/LSO Gold Medal in 1997 while still at the Purcell School, later going on to win the Royal Over-Seas League Competition.
G.R.N.C.M. P.P.R.N.C.M. Hon ARAM
Professor of Flute at the Royal Academy of Music
International Miyazawa Artist
www.claresouthworth.com
Clare Southworth enjoys a highly successful and varied career as performer, teacher and author, and is internationally acclaimed as one of the leading flutists of her generation. Her many prizes include, International First Prize Winner of America’s National Flute Association Competition, Winner of North West Arts Platform and Prize Winner of the Madeira International Flute Competition.
One of only a few flutists to have launched a successful career as a solo performer and teacher, Clare is in great demand to present concerts, masterclasses and workshops around the world. Her flute has taken her to Europe, America, and Asia and she has performed as guest soloist for the American, German and British Flute Societies. She is renowned for her innovative programming, embracing a wide repertoire, combining both traditional and non-traditional genres and for her ability to combine performance with tuition at the highest level. She has recorded three acclaimed CD’s, Sonatas and Classic Touch with her accompanist Tim Carey and Miyazawa Plays Caliendo. Clare and Tim have worked together as a duo partnership for 20 years.
Clare is recognized as one of the country’s leading flute teachers and was Professor of Flute at the R.N.C.M. for 17 years. She has been Professor of Flute at the Royal Academy of Music since 2001. Clare has always had a great deal of contact with young musicians, teaching for many years at RNCM Junior School, Chetham’s School of Music and The Purcell School. She has been the director of the International Flute Summer School for 16 years which has become one of the most successful summer schools of the last decade..
Her books “Flute Aerobics”, “Light Aerobics” “Sequentials” and “The Expression of Colour”, have become best sellers. Clare is a Miyazawa International Artist and flute editor of Astute Music.
Melanie Ragge has two principal musical passions – as a chamber musician and educator. Originally a medical student at King’s College Cambridge, she ultimately graduated with an MA and Master of Philosophy degree in Musicology. She was subsequently awarded a Leverhulme Fellowship at the Royal College of Music where she studied piano with Phyllis Sellick, oboe with Michael Winfield, and contemporary oboe with Edwin Roxburgh.
Melanie has performed extensively as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician both in England and abroad. She is also a tutor and artist in residence at the Swaledale and Aberystwyth Festivals. She is a founder member of the New London Chamber Ensemble, whose performances commonly include staging and theatrical elements.
Melanie’s teaching and coaching consumes the remainder of her professional life; in addition to teaching the oboists at the Purcell School of Music, she is a professor of oboe at the Royal Academy of Music. She has given many masterclasses, is an adjudicator for the British Federation of Festivals, and also an Associate Director and tutor for the National Youth Chamber Orchestra of Great Britain. Her scientific interest continues in the form of ongoing research into the prevention of strain injuries in musical training on which subject she has presented papers at the International Double Reed Society Conference and International Performing Arts Medicine Conference in the USA.
Barbara Law has taught at the Purcell School for 12 years (during which time the recorder department has grown substantially). She is also professor of recorder at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music. She has given master classes both in Europe and the Far East and is an experienced adjudicator. Her interest in developing and improving the standards of recorder teaching and playing has led to a position on the committee of the European Recorder Teachers Association. As a freelance musician she has performed with a wide variety of ensembles – covering both early and contemporary repertoire. She has also performed on a number of CD recordings as well as radio broadcasts for the BBC.
Kevin Hathway is one of England’s most respected percussionists. Among his many musical responsibilities he is co-principal percussionist of the Philharmonia Orchestra and an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal School of Music, for which he devised the percussion examination syllabus. Immediately preceding his appointment at the Purcell School he was head of the percussion department at the Royal College of Music, providing many of today’s leading orchestral players.
Following on from a Salvation Army brass band musical childhood he was a trombone scholar at the RCM and used this talent to great effect as percussionist with the world-renowned Wallace Collection Brass Ensemble.
His own outreach group, The Elastic Band, is in great demand for family concerts and educational projects throughout the UK and abroad. As an animateur he has worked at Festivals in the USA and Kuala Lumpur. He regularly devises and presents family concerts with the Philharmonia Orchestra at London’s Queen Elizabeth hall and their resident halls in Bedford and Leicester.
