Profiles

Thomas Zehetmair is one of today’s most outstanding artistic personalities. As violinist, conductor and chamber musician he is highly regarded worldwide. His international career as conductor is driven by his positions as Music Director of Northern Sinfonia and Artistic Partner of the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, U.S.A. Tours with Northern Sinfonia have led him to the Hong Kong Festival, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Germany, and their most recent recording for Avie Records of Schubert’s Symphony no.6 and Gál’s Symphony no.1 was released in April 2011.

As violinist, award-winning CDs include B. A. Zimmermann’s violin concerto with the WDR Symphony Orchestra (Diapason d’Or de l’Année), conducted by Heinz Holliger, the 24 Capricci by Paganini (honorary list of the German Record Critics’ Award, Midem Classic Award 2010), Elgar’s Violin Concerto with the Hallé and Mark Elder (Gramophone Award 2010) and Mozart’s Violin Concertos with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, referred to as a reference recording. Most recently ECM released ‘Manto and Madrigal’ featuring Thomas Zehetmair and duo partner Ruth Killius.

Since 2010/11 Zehetmair has been Artistic Partner of the St Paul Chamber Orchestra, and he regularly conducts the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Hungarian National Orchestra, Finish Radio Symphony Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra Warsaw, the Hallé, Camerata Salzburg, and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

Highlights this season include his conducting debut at the Salzburg Festival, where he will also perform with the Zehetmair Quartet which he founded in 1994, and as violinist he will appear at the most renowned European music centres.

In 2005 Zehetmair was honoured with the German Record Critics’ Award for his versatile artistic work as soloist, conductor and chamber musician. In 2007 he was awarded the Karl-Böhm Interpretation Award of the Austrian State Steiermark during a ceremony at Graz Castle, presented by Heinz Holliger. He holds an honorary doctorate from the Music Academy Franz Liszt in Weimar.

Simon Halsey is one of the world’s leading conductors of choral repertoire, regularly conducting prestigious orchestras and choirs across Europe and North America. He is the Principal Conductor, Choral Programme for The Sage Gateshead and works on numerous choral projects each season at the venue, including regular concerts conducting the Northern Sinfonia.

He is also Chief Conductor of the Berlin Radio Choir, has been Chorus Director of the CBSO Chorus for over 25 years and holds the positions of consultant editor for Faber Music in the UK and The Jane Hodge Foundation International Chair in Choral Directing at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Away from Gateshead, highlights this season include performances of Bizet’s Carmen with the Vienna State Opera Chorus at the Salzburg Easter Festival 2012 with the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle. Simon Halsey will also prepare the Berlin Radio Choir for Tallis’ 40-part motet Spem in alium and Antonio Lotti’s Crucifixus, in a programme with Mahler’s Eighth Symphony to conclude Musikfest Berlin, as well as for Jonathan Harvey’s grand new work Weltethos. In Birmingham, he will be conducting the CBSO and its Chorus in Elgar’s final, deeply personal masterpiece The Music Makers at the Symphony Hall’s 21st anniversary concerts in June.

The German Choral Association has invited Simon Halsey to be Artist-in-Residence at ‘chor.com 2011’ in Dortmund where Simon Halsey will be directing the Brahms Requiem in a sing-along concert and presenting his new book and DVD Master Class Chorleitung, published by Schott Music.

In February 2011 Halsey received his third Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance for the recording of “L’Amour de Loin” by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, having previously won a Grammy in 2009 for the recording of Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms and a Grammy in 2008 for the choir’s recording of Brahms’s German Requiem with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Rattle.

In January 2011, Simon Halsey was presented with the prestigious Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse, Germany’s Order of Merit by State Cultural Secretary André Schmitz in Berlin. This is in recognition of outstanding services to choral music in Germany and having acted as an ambassador for choral music in Germany.
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http://www.intermusica.co.uk/artists/conductor/simon-halsey/biography”: http://www.intermusica.co.uk/artists/conductor/simon-halsey/biography

Mario Venzago was born in Zurich, studied in Zurich and Vienna with Hans Swarovsky and started his career as pianist of the Swiss broadcast station in Lugano. From 1986 to 1989 he was music director of the Heidelberg opera house and Philharmonic Orchestra and later served as chief conductor of the German Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Graz Opera, the Basque National Orchestra, the Basel Symphony Orchestra, and the Swedish National Orchestra in Gothenburg. He was Artistic Director of the Baltimore Summer Music Fest and from 2002 – 2009 Music Director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In 2010 he was named Principal Conductor of the Northern Sinfonia in Newcastle and in the same year was appointed chief conductor of the Bern Symphony Orchestra, as well as Artist in Association with the Tapiola Sinfonietta. He is also “Schumann Guest Conductor” of the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker and holds the position of Conductor Laureate of the Basel Symphony Orchestra.

Mario Venzago’s distinguished conducting career has included engagements with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony, La Scala di Milano, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the NHK Symphony in Tokyo. In North America he has appeared with the Boston Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, and the Baltimore Symphony. He has also conducted, among other prestigious festivals, at the Salzburg and Lucerne Festivals.

Several of his CD’s which include orchestral works of Robert Schumann, Luigi Nono, Othmar Schoeck, Alban Berg, and Maurice Ravel have been awarded international prizes (including the Grand Prix du Disque, Diapason d’or and the Edison prize), and the movie about him,““My Brother the Conductor” by Alberto Venzago, received the highest accolades. Venzago has worked with famous stage directors Ruth Berghaus, Peter Kowitschny and Hans Neuenfels. At present he is preparing a complete recording of Bruckner Symphonies for the CPO label.

www.mariovenzago.com

Universally acclaimed as an outstanding conductor of light music and music for screen, John Wilson’s BBC Proms in 2009 and 2010 were acknowledged as season highlights with both concerts selling out and then watched by millions on BBC TV worldwide.

Gateshead born, John was honoured to join Simon Halsey and Mario Venzago as Principal Conductor of the Northern Sinfonia in 2009. He also enjoys close relationships with several other orchestras such as Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Philharmonia and BBC Symphony, Concert Orchestra and Scottish Symphony. He is also currently Principal Guest Conductor of the RTE Concert Orchestra in Dublin. In 2007 he was shortlisted for the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society’s Conductor’s Award.

He has made numerous recordings with his own John Wilson Orchestra, including a DVD of the 2009 MGM Musicals Prom. John’s recordings of British music include works by John Ireland with the Halle, four highly acclaimed CDs of the music of Eric Coates with the BBC Concert Orchestra and the RLPO, and works by Vaughan Williams and Edward German.

He has produced countless orchestrations for film, radio and television, was nominated for a US Grammy award for the music for Kevin Spacey’s film Beyond the Sea and is currently reconstructing the lost scores of all MGM’s major musicals, the latest being Singin’ in the Rain, which he will conduct with the Philharmonia in the Royal Festival Hall. His arrangements have been played worldwide by ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic and Cleveland Orchestras.

“I have so much enjoyed my first season as your principal conductor and I cannot express how honoured I was to be appointed by such a wonderful orchestra in the city where I was born and brought up. I am delighted to be able to share the music I love with such fine players and such an appreciative audience in one of the finest halls in the world.” John Wilson

www.johnwilsonorchestra.com

Bradley Creswick

Leader, 1st Violin

Bradley Creswick has a long association with Northern Sinfonia going back to 1984 when he was first appointed leader.

The musical life then, as now, was amazingly rich and varied, providing some personal highlights such as the EMI recording of Vaughan Williams’ Lark Ascending and Concerto Accademico with Richard Hickox, performing Prokofiev’s Concerto no.2 for Radio 3 and recording all the Handel op.6 Concerti grossi with George Malcolm. More recent recordings include: Handel Concerti grossi op.3 for Naxos and the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola by Mozart with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra.

In 1987 Bradley moved to London to lead the Philharmonia, still maintaining his relationship with the Sinfonia, making guest appearances, notably as soloist with them in the 1989 BBC Proms playing the Lark Ascending.

The London years continued as leader of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House before taking the opportunity, in 1994, to return to the Sinfonia and the Northeast for a second time. Working at The Sage Gateshead now provides the chance to play with an even greater variety of musicians, such as James Crabb and Bruce Molsky.

Recently, Bradley has been invited twice to Marlboro Music Festival in America and is asked regularly to guest lead a wide range of orchestras. Playing with friends is a vibrant part of life and he relishes the chance to play with the pianist Margaret Fingerhut, giving recitals around the country; and has occasionally been heard playing western swing fiddle ‘back home’.

Kyra Humphreys

Co-Leader, 1st Violin

Kyra Humphreys is an accomplished orchestral and chamber musician. She has performed with most of the major UK symphony and chamber orchestras and appeared as guest leader with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. She has appeared as a soloist in the BBC Proms and performed in music festivals around the world. Her world premiere of John Casken’s ‘Après un Silence’ (orchestral version) was broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and described as “authoritatively dramatic” by The Times.

As the violinist/violist of the Zanfonia Trio Kyra was a finalist in the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and the trio performed frequently throughout the UK as award winners in both the Munster and John Tunnell Trust concert scheme competitions.

Since 1998 Kyra has been the Co-Leader of Northern Sinfonia. She has appeared as director and soloist with the orchestra on numerous occasions, performing a wide repertoire. Highlights include several Mozart Concertos, the Barber Violin Concerto and most recently Piazzola’s ‘Four Seasons’ for Violin Solo and Strings. She has also maintained a busy chamber and contemporary music schedule, playing regularly through the year in Northern Sinfonia chamber ensembles.

A Londoner by birth and a Mathematics graduate of Oxford University, Kyra Humphreys lives in Newcastle with her husband and four children.

Daniel Bates

Section Leader, Oboe

Daniel Bates also holds principal positions with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and the City of London Sinfonia. He has played guest principal for various orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Born in London, Daniel studied at the Royal Academy of Music, Pembroke College, Cambridge and LAMDA drama school. He was the youngest ever winner of the Royal Overseas League Competition and also won two major international competitions, in Italy and Romania. He has performed concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Mozart Players and the English Chamber Orchestra and has given recitals at the Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room. As an actor his credits include the title role in The Picture of Dorian Gray (Vienna’s English Theatre) Fedotik in The Three Sisters (West End) and Adrian Green in Casualty (BBC TV).

Juliette is also Principal Flute with London Mozart Players, and plays with Ensemble 360. She regularly appears as Guest Principal Flute with many other leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera, Britten Sinfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Subsequent to a string of prestigious accolades, including winning the Gold Medal in the Shell/LSO Competition, Harrods Bank Prize and Gold Medal in the Royal Over-Seas League Competition and reaching the Grand Final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition, Juliette enjoys a busy solo career. She has performed as concerto soloist with the London Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Academy of St Martin’s in the Fields, European Union Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia and London Mozart Players. She is also regularly invited to give solo recitals at major venues and festivals throughout the UK, including numerous Wigmore Hall and South Bank appearances. A keen chamber musician, Juliette has collaborated with many fine musicians, notably with the Coull, Elias, Badke and Carducci String Quartets, Ensemble 360, violinist Thomas Zehetmair, soprano Kate Royal and harpist Catrin Finch. Success on an international scale is reflected in tours to Europe, Thailand, Vietnam, The United Arab Emirates, Namibia, Australia and New Zealand.

Juliette studied with Anna Pope at the Purcell School of Music and with Philippa Davies, Paul Edmund Davies and Samuel Coles at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She went on to further her tuition at the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, with Sophie Cherrier and Vincent Lucas.

Juliette plays on a Brannen-Cooper flute that was awarded to her by the Foundation for Sports and the Arts.

“Great British Hope… Rising star in the arts firmament.” The Times

“…radiating composure and command in equal measure… it is tempting to dwell on individual performances, for example, the superb rapport between Juliette Bausor and the orchestra in the Nielsen…” The Times

Iona Brown

Principal, 1st Violin

Iona joined the Northern Sinfonia first violin section in 1995 and is currently Principal First Violin. She has appeared with the Sinfonia as soloist, leader, and performs regularly in the Chamber ensemble.

Born in Manchester, Iona won a scholarship to the Royal Northern College of Music studying with Dr Christopher Rowland and Wen Zhou Li. She won many violin and chamber music awards, also the Hiles medal for orchestra playing.

In 1993 Iona joined the Manchester Camerata as principal first violin, also playing in the Camerata Chamber Ensemble and as soloist in Bach’s double violin concerto. Iona was also a member of the contemporary music ensemble Psappha, with whom she performed live on Radio 3.
Iona has performed with many outstanding musicians, including a recent series of recitals with Marco Rizzi, Bruno Pasquier, Gary Hoffman and Jean Bernard Pommier. She is guest leader of the Durham Sinfonia and has played as soloist in Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante.

James Craig

Sub-Principal, Cello

James Craig joined the cello section of the Sinfonia after completing post-graduate studies at the Royal College of Music London and subsequently having gained a scholarship from Northern Arts studied as far afield as Israel Finland Italy and France.

He is also the String Studies Leader at The Sage Gateshead Weekend School.

Marion Craig

Principal, Trumpet

Marion joined Northern Sinfonia officially three years ago, after working with the orchestra regularly for ten years before that. Originally from Eastbourne in Sussex, Marion has lived in the North East for about ten years and loves life here, especially the countryside. She studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has made recordings at The Sage Gateshead with Northern Sinfonia.

Malcolm Critten

Principal, Viola

Malcolm Critten was awarded a place at Chetham’s School of Music in 1972 where he studied with the late Jacqui Leonard. In 1979 he went on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music with Nobuko Imai. Rusen Gunes and Mischa Gellar. During this time he was a member of the Alexandra Quartet with whom he attended chamber music courses at the Britten-Pears School. On leaving college Malcolm freelanced with many orchestras including Northern Sinfonia and the English Chamber Orchestra and was a member of the Matisse Piano Quartet appearing in many music clubs throughout Britain.

Since joining Northern Sinfonia in 1987 Malcolm has played regularly with the Sinfonia Chamber Ensemble and is actively involved with the Education and Outreach Department. This has involved work not only in schools but adult training centres and homes for the elderly and hospices throughout he region. He has taken part in many projects including The Turn of the Tide which was a national education project organised by the Association of British Orchestras. In South Shields, Malcolm has led a curriculum based schools project ‘Metamorphosis’ which culminated in a performance for parents and pupils at the Customs House. In 1997 he was the leader of the “Children’s Challenge’, part of the Mahler One Challenge which took place in the Alnwick Playhouse. Most recently he was involved with schools in the Durham area preparing compositions for the Durham Miners Gala, part of the 1997 ABO National Education Programme.

Malcolm is at present working for an MA (Music Education) with Trinity College of Music.

Peter Francomb

Section Leader, Horn

Peter Francomb began playing the horn at the age of ten. His early studies were with Ifor James and Ron Harris in London. Early performing experience was gained with the Brighton Youth Orchestra. In 1974, he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied with Douglas Moore. In 1976 at the International Festival of Youth Orchestras, he won the Van Cliburn Foundation Scholarship, which paid for an additional year’s tuition with David Cripps and Tony Halstead at the Guildhall School of Music.

On leaving college, Peter worked for ten years as a freelance player in London, working as guest principal horn with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Chamber Orchestra of Europe, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Academy of St. Martin in the Field. He also worked with the London Symphony, Philharmonia and English National Opera Orchestras. In the field of chamber music, he has worked with the Nash and was a member of the Prometheus Ensemble. For the last 21 years he has been a member of the Albion Ensemble with whom he has made various recordings.

In the field of modern music, he has played with The Fires of London, Music Projects London and Lontano.

In 1988 he was invited to become principal horn of Northern Sinfonia. With them, he has performed all four Mozart concerti, Haydn concerto, both Strauss concerti (no.2 for BBC Radio 3) and Giovanni Punto concerto no.5, also for Radio 3. In 1992 Peter was asked to perform the Punto at the International Horn Convention in Manchester, and he subsequently recorded this and three other concertos for Pan Classics with the Sinfonia.

Peter has worked regularly as guest principal with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Chamber
Orchestra of Europe and with Opera North.

Peter has performed Brahms Horn Trio with Tasmin Little and Jean Bernard Pommier, Strauss 2 and Haydn’s 1st Concerto with David Haslam and Mozart 4 with Paul McCreesh. In summer 2000, Peter performed Schumann Koncertstuck with Simon Wright, two performances of the Britten Serenade with Mark Padmore and Ian Partridge and Mozart 4 with Richard Hickox.

Michael Gerrard

Section Leader, Viola

Michael Gerrard was nine years old when he took up the violin, changing to the viola six years later. He studied with Jaqueline Leonard at Chetham’s School and then with Patrick Ireland and Nobuko Imai at the Royal Northern College of Music. In 1980 he was prizewinner in the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition. After a post-graduate year with Eli Goren he was appointed associate principal viola with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, and on his return to England two years later became, at the age of 25, one of the youngest professors to teach at the Guildhall School of Music in London. He also taught at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester.

Michael has broadcast frequently for the BBC with the Matisse Piano Quartet and recorded chamber music with Divertimenti. He joined Northern Sinfonia as principal viola in 1987 and has appeared as soloist on several occasions including performances of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No 6 with the Russian violist Yuri Bashmet and performances of Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante” under the baton of Heinrich Schiff.

Principal, Horn

Chris Griffiths

Chris Griffiths has been playing French Horn with Northern Sinfonia for fifteen years, during which time he has proved incredibly active in The Sage Gateshead’s Learning and Participation programme, notably in the field of community music.

After studying with the legendary Barry Tuckwell at the Royal Academy of Music, Chris held Principal positions with C.B.S.O., the B.B.C. – in Bristol and Glasgow, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Opera.

As a Teacher, Chris has helped more than a dozen horn players to launch their careers both here and in Europe. He has held teaching posts with the R.A.M., the R.S.A.M.D, Head of Brass at Glenalmond College, Perthshire and was Tutor for the Aberdeen International Youth Festival. Additionally, Chris has led workshops for horn players at the Tokyo and Vienna Music Conservatoires.

Chris Griffiths has conducted many youth orchestras and held the post of Conductor, Perth Symphony Orchestra, Scotland for six years. He has conducted many events in the concert calendar of Northern Sinfonia’s associated amateur Orchestra – the “Cobwebs” – of which he was co-founder. Works performed include Mahler 1, Bruckner 7, Shostakovitch 5, Sibelius 2, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Beethoven Symphonies and Berlioz’ “Harold in Italy”.

The past two years, Chris has been appointed Music Director of Darlington and the Dales Youth Orchestra. The development of this enterprise has benefited from resources that Chris also uses in School Workshops, where a large collection of Belleplates (a new type of hand bell), twenty mini djembes and his own French horn provide a unique formula!

After reading zoology at the University of Nottingham, Siân went onto complete a postgraduate course at the Royal Northern College of Music under Corin Long. She was awarded the Professional Performance Diploma and established herself as a freelance bassist in great demand. She has performed with most of the country’s top orchestras including the BBC Philharmonic, BBC symphony, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, Hallé, Orchestra of Opera North and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, as well as many chamber ensembles including Composers Ensemble, Kantak, and European Union Chamber Orchestra.

With the Manchester Camerata, she premiered the virtuosic ‘Rondo for 9’ by John Manduel, written to celebrate the life of Ida Carroll, a past figurehead of the double bass. This was made all the more special as she had won the Ida Carroll Award for young bassists several years earlier.

Although she enjoys the large scale orchestral works, Siân’s primary love is the chamber orchestra repertoire and small chamber ensemble works. Thus, in 2006, she joined Northern Sinfonia as co-principal bass at The Sage Gateshead, where she continues to enjoy a fulfilling and diverse career.

Tegwen Jones

Sub-Principal, Viola

Tegwen first joined Northern Sinfonia in 1987 as desk partner of Tony Cullen, a founder member of Northern Sinfonia. She then moved to Cardiff to marry Tony Abell, a bass player with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The couple have two children who are now settled into school in Gosforth as Tegwen re-joined the Sinfonia in September 2006. The family find the North East cold but bright, with nowhere near as much rain as Cardiff!

Tegwen studied with Brian Hawkins at the Royal College of Music in London and won the Leverhulme Scholarship for String Quartet playing. She has made many recordings with the Welsh National Opera alongside her favourite singer, Bryn Terfel.

Outside of work Tegwen likes cheese and wine and chatting with friends.
You wouldn’t know it but she’s very good at… organising her family and pegging washing out on the line!

If she has time to herself she…sleeps.
Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven books changed her life. She read the book aged seven and was inspired to play by the character of a blind boy who played the violin. She then had to wait two years for a school violin!

Her favourite piece of music is Mozart’s Second Viola Quintet in G Minor.
Her biggest luxury is Radley handbags.

After completing his studies at the Guildhall School of Music, Robin joined the Israel Chamber Orchestra as Principal Bassoon for one season before returning to England to take up the position of Assistant Principal with the Halle at the age of 23.

After 8 years a freelance career in London beckoned during which time he joined the English Chamber Orchestra and was appointed a Professor of bassoon and reed-making at the Royal College of Music. His career in London ranged from work at Glyndebourne for twenty years to Covent Garden as well as working regularly with all of the London Orchestras notably the LSO and LPO and Academy of St Martin in the Fields. The opportunity of joining Northern Sinfonia came unexpectedly and Robin was thrilled to become part of an extremely vibrant and exciting orchestra, not only the only full time chamber orchestra in the country but one with a home-base of The Sage Gateshead – the envy of the music profession as a whole.

Robin is married to Julia, a pianist, originally from Stockton on Tees and they have four children.

Jessica Lee

Principal Clarinet

Jessica was born in Chichester, West Sussex. She began to learn the clarinet aged nine whilst one of the first girl choristers at Salisbury Cathedral.

Jessica graduated from the Royal College of Music with a First Class Honours degree in 2004, where she studied with Janet Hilton, Michael Collins and Tim Lines. In 2005, Jessica gained her PGDip with distinction from the RCM where she was the Wilkins-Mackerras scholar and was supported by a full grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

After a busy freelance career in London working with the orchestra of the Royal Opera House, the London Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Jessica joined the Northern Sinfonia as Second Clarinet/Principal Bass Clarinet in September 2009.

Richard Martin

Section Leader, Trumpet

Richard Martin has worked with most of the country’s leading Orchestras. He studied at the Royal College of Music with Richard Walton and prior to that with William Lang .He was a member of the English Brass Ensemble for six years and has toured the world extensively with them, including visits to America, Canada, Europe and Asia.

He has been Principal Trumpet of Northern Sinfonia since 1988. During this time Richard has performed many of the great trumpet features with the orchestra, including Bach’s 2nd Brandenberg Concerto, through to the 20th Century.

He started playing in brass banding, and continues to do so. He has made a number of recordings, and the latest is a joint venture with the local Reg Vardy Band to raise funds for The Clarence Adoo Trust.

Jane Nossek

Sub-Principal, 1st Violin

Jane Nossek was born in Harrow and began learning the violin with Marta Eitler. Her studies continued with Jaroslav Vanecek at the Junior Department at the Royal College of Music. Jane entered the RNCM, Manchester, in 1988 where she studied with Lydia Mordkovich and Maciej Rakowski.

Whilst at the RNCM, Jane won many prizes and scholarships and founded the Nossek Quartet. With considerable support from patrons and musical Trusts, the quartet enjoyed a ten year life-span including foreign tours, media broadcasts and recitals in Wigmore Hall and Buckingham Palace.
As a freelance violinist, Jane played for the Festival d’Art Lyrique in Aix-en-Provence, worked regularly with Remix Ensemble in Porto and played with many of the UK’s orchestras. In 2001 she took up the position of Principal Second at the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. After getting married in 2005, Jane moved from Glasgow to Gateshead to join her husband, Gabriel Waite in Northern Sinfonia.

Alexandra Raikhlina won Laureate of the ‘Charles de Beriot’ competition in Belgium at the age of 13. In 1997 she was awarded a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School, where she studied violin with Natalia Boyarsky. Alexandra went onto lead the solo Quartet in Bloch’s Concerto Grosso No.2 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of a Day of Tribute to Yehudi Menuhin.

In May 2001 she won an award from the Craxton Foundation and in July 2002 played as a soloist with the Epsom Symphony Orchestra and led the performance of Bartok’s Quartet No.4 in Wigmore Hall. In the same year, Alexandra received a full scholarship to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama to study with Professor Takeno and Professor Smietana.

As a prize winner at the Richmond upon Thames Performing Arts Festival in 2006 Alexandra was invited to perform Sibelius’ violin concerto with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra and, in the same year, won an award from the Martin Scholarship Foundation. The following year, she received a full scholarship for postgraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, was awarded the LSO string scheme experience and performed the Telemann concerto for four violins with the LSO at the Barbican.

In 2008 Alexandra performed Schubert’s octet at the Barbican and at the prestigious Guildhall Gold series at the Wigmore Hall. In 2009 she performed Xenia by Louis Andriessen as part of the composers portrait for the BBC proms including broadcast on BBC radio 3.

Alexandra joined Northern Sinfonia in March 2009.

Stephen Reay

Section Leader, Bassoon

Although Stephen Reay was born in London, both his parents were born on Tyneside and come from a long line of Geordies. He took up the bassoon when he was fifteen years old and went on to study with Gwydion Brooke at the Royal Academy of Music where he was one of the few bassoonists to win the Academy’s Recital Diploma.

For several years he played guest Principal with the Philharmonia, including performances of Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante” at the Royal Festival Hall and recordings with Itzhak Perlman and Giulini of the Beethoven “Violin Concerto” in 1980.

In 1981 Stephen Reay was made Principal Bassoon with the Sinfonia and has appeared regularly as soloist. In 1986 he gave the first performances of Robin Holloway’s “Bassoon Concerto”, a Sinfonia commission, later broadcast on the BBC. In 1998 he gave the world premiere of Judith Bingham’s Bassoon Concerto, another Sinfonia commission.

Recordings include Strauss’ “Duet Concertino” with Richard Hickox, Martinu’s “Sinfonia Concertante” with the City of London Sinfonia for Virgin Classics, the first performances of Joseph Horovitz’s “Euphonium Concerto” arranged for Bassoon and Chamber Orchestra with George Malcolm, J C Bach’s Concerto with the Ulster Orchestra and recitals on Radio 3’s Concert Hall.

Stephen continues to make regular guest Principal appearances with the Philharmonia, including a performance of “Scheherezade” with Gennadi Rozhdestvensky in Madrid and Lisbon and most recently with the London Symphony Orchestra in their Vaughan Williams Series at the Barbican. In 1997 he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.

Sarah Roberts

Sub-Principal, 1st Violin

Sarah Roberts started learning the violin with Eta Cohen in Leeds and subsequently with Christopher Rowland, with whom she continues to study at the Royal Northern College of Music.

Since entering the RNCM she has played in the college Chamber Orchestra and led both the Symphony and String Orchestras. In 1996 she was finalist in the RNCM Concerto auditions and was awarded the Philip Newman Prize for violin.
As well as performing as soloist, Sarah is also a founder member of the Davis String Quartet, formed at the RNCM, who perform regularly throughout the UK.

In summer 1997 Sarah gained the distinguished Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Performance from the RNCM and was appointed to the first violin section of Northern Sinfonia in December of the same year.

Clare Robson

Principal, Flute

Clare began learning the flute and piccolo with Edith Van Spall, Danielle Eden and Louise Matthew. At the age of 15, she joined Junior Guildhall studying with Sarah Newbold. At this time, Clare enjoyed playing with the National Children’s Wind & Chamber Orchestras. Clare was also Principal Flute with the London Schools Symphony Orchestra and the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra. In 2001, Clare gained a place at the Guildhall studying with Philippa Davies, Sharon Williams and Sarah Newbold. This included an Erasmus Exchange to the Conservatoire de Paris (CNSMDP) for six months. She completed her undergraduate studies in 2006 with a First Class Honours from Guildhall.

During her time at Guildhall, Clare had success in several music competitions. In 2006, she won the Woodwind Prize in the Marlow Music Festival, which resulted in her performing the Liebermann Piccolo Concerto at Cadogan Hall, London with Southbank Sinfonia. Clare has recently performed JS Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto no. 4 with Juliette Bausor, as well as Bach’s Orchestral Suite in B minor with the Northern Sinfonia in The Sage Gateshead.

Clare enjoys chamber music and spent the summer of 2003 at the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival in Maine, USA. She was a founding member of Arcadia Wind which was formed in 2002 and they are currently resident at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire.

Since leaving the Guildhall, Clare has worked as a freelance flautist which has included playing with the London Symphony Orchestra & Valery Gergiev, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Ballet, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra & London Mozart Players.

Clare has been Principal Piccolo/2nd Flute in Northern Sinfonia since May 2008. As her parents are from the North East – Clare has come back to her family roots.

James grew up near Bristol and studied in Manchester at the Royal Northern Collage of Music with Nick Logie and Roger Benedict.

After leaving college, he moved to Cardiff from where he freelanced with many of the country’s leading orchestras. James joined Northern Sinfonia in early 2007, just after the birth of his son.

Since joining Northern Sinfonia, James has taken part in numerous tours. A particularly cold one was a February trip to Komatsu in Japan to play Elgar’s Piano Quintet.

James enjoys his free moments and tends to drift in and out of laziness. When feeling more active (at the same time as being allowed) he likes to play golf.

He lives in Low Fell, surrounded by other Northern Sinfonia players with his wife and son.

Louisa Tuck

Section Leader, Cello

Since her appointment as Section Leader Cello at Northern Sinfonia in 2007, Louisa Tuck has established herself as one of the most sought after young chamber musicians and guest principal cellists in the country.

She is still the youngest principal cellist of any orchestra in the UK. She is a regular guest leader with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBCSSO – which has included their complete Proms season, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The John Wilson Orchestra.

Louisa has recorded as a soloist with NAXOS and Virgin Classics and this summer recorded her first solo and chamber music disc for Champs Hill records. As a soloist she has recently appeared at the Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall (as part of a Northern Sinfonia Classic FM spotlight concert), Spoleto Festival (Italy), Spitalfields, Soundwaves, IMAI, Norfolk & Norwich and Chipping Camden Festivals. She has recently been made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.

Louisa was featured on a DVD of masterclasses at the Wigmore Hall given by the veteran cellist Bernard Greenhouse. Other recent performances and projects have included Hindemith ‘Kammermusik’ in London’s St Martin in the Fields and performances of Stravinsky, Dutilleux and Coleridge-Taylor with the Nash Ensemble.

She has broadcast live on BBC Radio 2, 3, 4 and Classic FM and is regularly invited to perform in the USA at the International Musical Arts Institute chamber music festival.

Louisa studied with Paul Watkins and Philip Sheppard at the Royal Academy of Music. She has received awards from the Musicians Benevolent Fund and the Countess of Munster Trust. Louisa would like to thank Mark Ptashne for his generous support throughout her career.

She plays on a rare Italian Cello dated 1752 made by Jacobus Cordanus.

Gabriel Waite

Sub-Principal, Cello

Gabriel comes from Chichester in West Sussex. He started learning the cello, aged eleven, with Nigel McNestrie and later Sophie O’Flynn. In 1994 he gained a place to study with Eduardo Vassallo at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. In 1999 whilst still at the RNCM Gabriel was a founder member of the Yeomans String Quartet. In 2001 the Quartet made the world premier recording of the String Quartet by Sir Arthur Sullivan and were semi-finalists at the Shostakovich String Quartet competition in Moscow. After living in Glasgow for four years, enjoying a busy freelance career as orchestral and chamber musician, Gabriel joined the cello section of Northern Sinfonia. Gabriel recently married Jane Nossek , a violinist and also a member of Northern Sinfonia. They live in Low Fell, Gateshead.

Ian Watson

Sub-Principal, 2nd Violin

South African violinist Ian Watson completed his ‘Bachelor of Music with Honours’ at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. In his final year, he was appointed Principal 2nd violin with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2005, he was awarded the Royal Schools of Music Postgraduate Scholarship, and moved to Scotland to obtain his MMus in Performance at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, under Professor Lissauer.

His duo with guitarist and composer Marek Pasieczny (2006- ) became laureate of the ‘Nowa Tradycja’ Competition held in the Lutoslawski Hall (Warsaw 2008) and have been invited to perform, adjudicate and give masterclasses at festivals in Japan, Poland, Italy, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Ian has had the privilege of performing the South African premieres of such composers as Hendrik Hofmeyr (Luamerava for solo violin) and Roelef Temmingh (Sonata for violin and piano) after winning first prize at the ATKV National Muziq Competition (RSA) in 2003.

Ian has worked with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Ballet Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble, Hebrides Ensemble, Cape Philharmonic and the Kwazulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra. He has appeared as a soloist on many occasions, including Bach, Bruch, Vivaldi, Glazunov and Sibelius Concerti with the RSNO, Cape Philharmonic, RSAMD Symphony and the University of Stellenbosch Symphony and Chamber Orchestra.

Ian plays on the “Jacobs violin” (1699, Amsterdam), kindly lent to him by the Northern Sinfonia since joining in 2010.