Staff A-Z

As a council member of MusicHE, Aleks has been involved in recent cross-institutional campaigns to safeguard the future of music at UK conservatoires and universities.  He is a QAA performing arts subject specialist assessor. He has written several articles and a book chapter on blended learning and critical pedagogy and is an external specialist at BIMM.  

As a performer, Aleks specialises in performing music of the 20th and 21st Centuries and has released several albums of contemporary repertoire on the Prima Facie record label, including the Piano Concerto by Daryl Runswick, Inner Landscapes (Douglas Finch), A Land so Luminous (Kenneth Hesketh), and the album Aztec Dances with the recorder player Jill Kemp. He has recorded for Nimbus with the flautist Wissam Boustany, and given premieres of works by Frederic Rzewski, Dai Fujikura, Haris Kittos, Edward Gregson, Nicola LeFanu, Sam Hayden and David Bedford, among others.   

As pianist in the ensemble Gemini, he has recorded three albums with Métier, including works by Jonathan Harvey, Sadie Harrison, Huw Watkins, Philip Grange, and the first recording of Mandala 3 by David Lumsdaine. As well as Gemini, Aleks works with Lontano, rarescale and the Continuum Ensemble.  He has performed in more than forty countries over six continents, on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM, Channel 4, and Colombian and Lebanese television.    

Eunice is a musician-researcher dedicated to advancing inclusion within Higher Music Education (HME). Her doctoral research at UCL has shed light on the underrepresentation of autistic musicians and advocating for their voices within HME. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, serves as a Lecturer in Music Education at Trinity Laban and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Nottingham’s Music Department. Additionally, she works as a Specialist one-to-one Study Skills and Strategy Support for autistic university students and those with ADHD.

As a pianist and keyboardist, Eunice has performed on television, radio, and at festivals across various cities including Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, London, Taipei, and Vladivostok. She also teaches piano through a Local Education Authority Music Service and has worked in the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP), ABRSM and Trinity Rock & Pop for over a decade. Beyond performing and teaching, Eunice is actively involved in UCL’s International Music Education Research Centre (iMerc), where she fosters research community building and knowledge exchange.

As a freelance teacher Christine has taught Rambert Dance Company, NDT 2, Scapino Dance Company, Charleroi Dance Company, Jonathan Burrows Group, AMP, and Scottish Dance Theatre. Christine also teaches on the International Dance Course for professional dancers and choreographers. She teaches Evening classes at the Place in London.

After leaving college, Neil freelanced with a variety of London orchestras, as well as Welsh Opera, English Opera Group, Royal Ballet, BBC Northern, and Scottish Theatre Ballet. After a while he settled with the New Philharmonia Orchestra (later known as the Philharmonia Orchestra) for symphonic work and Philomusica of London for chamber orchestra playing, while always playing as much chamber music as possible (including the Sunday afternoon broadcasts in the early days of Capital Radio).

Between 1976 and 1979, Neil held the Principal Bass chair of the BBC Welsh Symphony, after which he returned to London and the Philharmonia.  In the early 80s he was a founder-member of London Musici (with whom he occasionally performed Bottesini’s Gran Duo Concertante), and the short-lived London Double Bass Ensemble, the brainchild of the Philharmonia’s Principal Bass at the time, Gerry Drucker. Gerry’s sheer enthusiasm netted prestigious performances for this ensemble at Wigmore Hall, on live television and radio, and even accompanying a TV play by Mike Leigh (music by Carl Davis), as well as lots of fun but terrifying concerts around the UK.

During the late 80s, Neil was a frequent traveller with Chris Warren-Green’s London Chamber Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra and London Sinfonietta, and also began teaching at the Royal College of Music. He succeeded Gerry as Principal Bass of the Philharmonia in 1992, and later published his transcription for bass of Ševčík’s Op. 2 School of Bowing Technique.

Whilst subsequently teaching on the Pimlico Special Music Course, Neil published Beginning Scales on the Double Bass and Essentials of Ševčík, and currently holds teaching posts at both the Purcell School and Trinity Laban, as well as being Visiting Professor to the Razumovsky Academy. He regularly plays chamber music with the Soloists of the Philharmonia and the Razumovsky Ensemble.

Neil has always considered that the greatest music for bass begins and ends with the symphony orchestra, but also loves playing everything else in between!

Originally from Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, he studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Yossi Zivoni and Lydia Mordkovitch. As a student he led the college orchestras and also the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, before beginning his professional career straight from college as co-principal second violin with the Bournemouth Sinfonietta.

He has since worked extensively as a freelance violinist, recitalist and orchestral player, regularly leading freelance orchestras, appearing as concerto soloist and chamber musician. He has performed in recitals with pianist Francis Rayner, for BBC Radio 3 in performances of music by Fritz Kreisler and Bloch and in a wide range of other chamber ensembles with leading musicians. His orchestral work has included regular tours and recordings with BBC orchestras, the Royal Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestra, amongst others.

He has served as a jury member for several string competitions – both international and regional and has coached on the residential courses for the National Youth String Orchestra.

Alun is also a highly experienced teacher of the Alexander Technique and a member of STAT. This work informs his interest in coordination, freedom of movement and the relationship between mental and physical organisation, instrumental technique and musical expression.

As a writer, he contributes to The Strad magazine on subjects including violinists’ preparation and inheriting pupils from other teachers. He also plays the piano and uses it regularly in his teaching, which draws together professional performing experience with interests in technique, sound, stylistic awareness and individual musical expression.

www.violinlessons.live

Keen to pass on her wealth of knowledge and orchestral experience, Clare is regularly invited to tutor in all of the London music colleges and is generally sought after as teacher and audition mentor by many young musicians embarking on their careers. She also has a burgeoning private studio in North London, teaching across the syllabuses. Her students range from age 7-18 with notable examination and conservatoire entrance successes.

Clare was a prize-winning student at the Royal Academy of Music where she studied with Carmel Kaine. Scholarships then enabled her to complete her postgraduate studies in Germany with Wolfgang Marschner. On her return, she was soon appointed to the Principal 2nd chair of the English Chamber Orchestra, performing with such artists as Barenboim and Zukerman. She performed with the English Chamber Orchestra as a soloist both in the concert hall and recording studio. In that time, some ten years, she also appeared as guest leader with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Ulster Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Thames Chamber Orchestra and principal positions with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra amongst others.

She has led the Philharmonia at the Royal Festival Hall, performed with many of the world’s great conductors, Muti, Maazel, Salonen and Ashkenazy to name but a few, and is now regularly invited to lead and co-lead British orchestras including most recently, working extensively as Co-Leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Andris Nelsons.

Clare has also enjoyed an active chamber music career, performing, recording and broadcasting with such ensembles as Prometheus, Cirrus and Serenata. She has played chamber music with Rostropovich and is a featured soloist on a CD of Vivaldi violin concertos with Pinchas Zukerman. She also continues to work in the studio recording film scores, including The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and The Hobbit.

Clare was recently made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in recognition of her services to music.

She plays on a fine Joseph Gagliano violin, circa 1770.

Clare Thompson studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Carmel Kaine where she won numerous prizes for solo and string quartet playing. Various scholarships, including the Countess of Munster Trust enabled her to continue her studies with Wolfgang Marschner in Freiburg, Germany, where she graduated with the final diploma.

At the age of sixteen, Martino won the Liszt Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, graduating with the highest honours, after which he completed his studies in Vienna. He later worked closely with Gordon Green, whom he regarded as his greatest mentor.

He has also played and directed many cycles of the five Beethoven Concertos with the Dresdner Philharmonie in Germany and at the Royal Festival Hall in London. He has often appeared with this orchestra, both as soloist and conductor. His repertoire is enormous, including 70 concertos and most of the major works of the great composers, and he has become a champion of the Tippett Concerto, which he performed several times with the composer conducting. Tirimo is particularly renowned for his Schubert interpretations, and in 1975 became the first pianist to perform a truly complete cycle of the 21 sonatas in public, with his own completions to the unfinished movements, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. The eight CDs were released throughout 1997 and in the same season he presented six concerts at Wigmore Hall devoted to all of Schubert’s major piano works.

Throughout his career as a violinist he has collaborated with an eclectic range of different artists: Gavin Bryars, Laurie Anderson, Aidan Love, Roma and Bluegrass musicians and projects for Boy George, Mick Jagger and Martin Green. He has specialised in folk and traditional music from across Europe, which is an inspiration for CD releases. As a composer he has created many works for the theatre and opera, including the National Theatre, Opera North and the Berlin Ensemble. This has a led to a specialism in cross-disciplinary performance and exploring cultural and artistic boundaries resulting in commissions in Romania, Japan and China.

As well as being a cultural commentator, Joe regularly speaks at conferences on collaboration, pedagogy, audience development and social entrepreneurship. He consults on early career survival for emerging artists with Serious Productions, Help Musicians UK and English Folk Expo and running courses for the V&A Innovative Leadership Programme.

Founder of Seasonal Sessions UK, Poppy has created an intensive dance training program that runs once a month in Cardiff and Bristol, providing the South West cities of the UK with further opportunities in dance.

As well as teaching Hip Hop on Trinity Laban’s CAT program, Poppy has taught for higher education programs including the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, London Studio Centre and Shockout Academy. Poppy has recently become an official judge for the British Dance Organisation and 101 dance competitions.

Committed to dance education, Poppy strives to inspire young people to not only fulfil their passions and potential to perform, but for them to also explore their own artistry and creative choices alongside her own as a choreographer.

Vivian is a London-based freelance dance artist from Greece. She graduated with a 1st class BA degree in contemporary dance from Trinity Laban in 2015 and continued as a chosen member of the’ Akram Khan Experiment’ and then Jasmin Vardimon 2 where she performed a national tour.

She has performed for Jose Agudo Dance & Theatre Rites, WenHsin Lee & Elgiva Field, Vinicius Salles, Fernanda Prata, Ben Judd/Dionysios Tsaftaridis, Melanie Lomoff (Lowry and Rambert project), Follow Through collective, Hagit Yakira as well as acting as her rehearsal director for Royal Albert hall, and others. She has curated, performed and choreographed for Museum of London. She works as a dance artist for Alleyne Dance.

She was nominated for an Off West End best performer award alongside the rest of the cast for their performance for Theatre Rites & Jose Agudo.
Passionate about teaching, Vivian shares her expertise with professionals, adults, young people and dance companies. She has taught for: Rambert, The Place, Laban, Royal Academy of Dance, English National ballet, National Dance Company of Wales and others. She has founded two workshops: ‘Energy and Flow’ a professional contemporary dance workshop and ‘Movement Waves’ a community improvisation workshop.

Her choreography has received support from Arts Council England, TripSpace, Dancce Athens, and others. Vivian has created a group piece ‘Ego Mas,’ the duet ‘Greener Grass,’ and the film ‘I Am.’ She has also directed movement for films and choreographed for various commissions, earning awards for solo performances in competitions.