The Ensemble

The Ensemble is a versatile and fluid group of musicians originally brought together by Adrienne Black, Timothy Watts and Naomi Watts. Principal players from top London Orchestras, winners of the BBC Young Musician of the Year and international prize-winners regularly perform with the Ensemble for the series.

Programmes range across a variety of musical styles from Baroque to Jazz, and from solo recitals through to Chamber Orchestra concerts using ten or more performers.

Strings

Violin

Tamas Andras – International competition winner, co-principal Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
David Juritz – Previously leader of the London Mozart Players, guest leader, session musician and soloist.
Jiafeng Chen – International competition winner, soloist and chamber musician, professor of violin at Royal College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire and Chethams Music School.
Peter Fischer – Director of the London Chamber Orchestra, soloist and chamber musician.
Anna Blackmur – Principal 2nd violin of the Royal Opera House Orchestra.
Emily Nebel – International chamber musician and guest leader.
Sophie Lockett – Barbican Trio, London based, freelance guest leader, chamber and session musician.
Juliette Lee – London-based freelance chamber, orchestral and session musician.
Elizabeth Cooney – London-based, freelance guest leader, chamber and session musician.

Viola

Morgan Goff – London-based freelance soloist, chamber and session musician. Viola chair in Les Miserables.
Jon Thorne – Principal Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, London based, freelance guest principal, chamber and session musician, chamber music professor at Royal Academy of Music.
Ugne Tiskute – Co-principal Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, chamber musician and session player.
Carol Hultmark – Member Philharmonia Orchestra.
Miguel Angel – Principal Welsh National Opera.

Cello

Naomi Watts – Member Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London based, freelance chamber, orchestral and session musician.
Peter Adams – Principal Oxford Philharmonic, Nigel Kennedy quintet, chamber musician and concerto soloist.
Nicholas Roberts – Coull Quartet and session musician.
Emma Black – Formerly Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, freelance orchestral musician.
Anna Beryl – Freelance soloist, chamber, orchestral and session musician.
Marie Bitlloch – Elias Quartet.

Double Bass

Caroline Maguire – Formerly Hanover Band, chamber musician, Youth Orchestra coach.

Woodwind

Flute

Emer McDonough – Principal Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Britten Sinfonia, professor of flute at the Royal College of Music.
Anthony Robb – Principal Oxford Philharmonic, freelance soloist, chamber and orchestral musician.
Fiona Kelly – London-based guest principal, chamber musician and soloist, professor of flute at Trinity Laban College of Music and Drama.
Tom Hancox – Co-principal Britten Sinfonia, guest principal, Antarra Duo (with harp), London based, freelance chamber and orchestral musician.
Robert Manasse – Sub-principal Oxford Philharmonic, Galliard Ensemble, professor of flute at Junior Guildhall.

Oboe

Joseph Sanders – London-based guest principal, Alexander teacher and professor at the Guildhall School of Music.
Ewan Millar – 2020/21 BBC Young Musician of the Year winner of the Woodwind finals and a Concerto finalist.

Clarinet

Katy Ayling – Principal bass clarinet Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, guest principal London Symphony Orchestra.
Kath Lacy – Principal Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Marie Lloyd – Sub-principal Chamber Orchestra of Europe, freelance chamber, orchestral and session musician.
James Maltby – London-based freelance chamber and orchestral musician with top London orchestras.
Oliver Pashley – Sub-principal Britten Sinfonia.

Bassoon

Ben Hudson – Former BBC Young Musician of the Year Concerto finalist, principal Manchester Camerata and chamber musician.
Emily Hultmark – Principal Philharmonia Orchestra, London-based freelance soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. Professor at the Royal Academy of Music.
Helen Storey – Sub-principal Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, professor of bassoon at Guildhall School of Music.

Brass

Trumpet

Robert Vanryne – Former finalist BBC Young Musician of the Year, co-principal English Baroque Soloists, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, recording artist and instrument maker.
Gabriel Dias – Co-principal Verbier Chamber Orchestra, co-principal Cheneke Orchestra, Rio Symphony Orchestra.
Neil Brough – Principal English Baroque Soloists, London based guest principal, recording artist, professor of natural trumpet at the Royal College of Music.

French Horn

Laurence Davies – Principal Philharmonia.
Philip Woods – West End shows, session player.
Finlay Bain – 4th horn Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tim Anderson – London-based freelance orchestral and session musician.
Gavin Edwards – The Hanover Band, the English Baroque Soloists, the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Academy of Ancient Music.

Trombone

Sue Addison – Professor of Trombone and Sackbut at Royal Northern College of Music, Royal College Music Birmingham Conservatoire, Principal Trombone Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Academy of Ancient Music, Gabrieli Consort and the Sixteen Choir and Orchestra.
Adam Woolf – Principal trombone English Baroque Soloists, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, The Kings Consort and many other ensembles.

Piano

Tom Poster – Former finalist BBC Young Musician of the Year, international soloist and chamber musician.
Jenifer Hughes – Accompanist Royal College of Music, international chamber musician and coach.
Ariel Lanyi – 2021 finalist Leeds International Piano Competition.
Yuko Sano – International prize winner and soloist, Steinway Artist.
Craig Greene – Chamber musician, accompanist, soloist and conductor.

Piano and Harpsichord

Adrienne Black – Co-founder and Artistic Director of Concerts in Caversham, chamber musician, accompanist (Royal College of Music), harpsichord Oxford Philharmonic, senior tutor and accompanist Bradfield College.

Harp

Jean Kelly – London-based session and chamber musician, Locrian Ensemble.
Olivia Jageurs – Guesting with London orchestras, innovator of Harpy Hour on Zoom.
Rachel Wick – London-based chamber musician, professor Junior Royal Academy of Music, Antara flute and harp duo.

Singers

Sopranos

Susanna Fairbairn – Operatic and recording artist Buxton International Opera, Diva Opera, Deutschland Oper Berlin, Opera North, English Touring Opera.
Ana Beard Fernández – Exciting young talent, recent graduate from the Royal College of Music, Ligurian Baroque Ensemble, Gafa Arts Collective, Royal Opera House workshops.
Serenna Wagner – Opera Anywhere, Heritage Opera, Longborough Festival, Bampton Opera.

Tenor

Laurence Kilsby – 1st prize Kathleen Ferrier Competition, Carnegie Hall with Renee Fleming, Curtis Opera, Opera North, Early Opera Company.

Bass

Angus McPhee – Britten Sinfonia, Oxford Camerata, Genesis Sixteen.

Jazz

Piano

Kit Downes – Mercury Award prize winner, BBC Jazz Awards winner, international composer, recording artist, professor at the Royal Academy of Music.
Janette Mason – International composer, musical director, recording artist, arranger and jazz host.
Simon Lasky – International composer, arranger, recording artist and broadcaster in the UK and US.

Singers

Nina Ferro – Australian-born multi-award-winning vocalist, songwriter, session and recording artist.
Jessica Radcliffe – Rising-star vocalist and composer, formerly lead vocalist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Vimala Rowe – International recording artist, composer, Ronnie Scotts.
Juliet Roberts – London-based recording artist and backing vocalist.

Saxophone

Simon Bates – London based and versatile recording legend of films, TV, jazz and pop.

Bass

Robert Rickenberg – London-based jazz, session musician, professor at Guildhall School of Music.
Simon Little – London-based session bassist.

Trumpet

Shanti – International multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer.