Phil Cornwell
Piano
 

Phil Cornwell studied piano and double bass at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, before completing a postgraduate diploma in piano accompaniment at Trinity College of Music. Whilst at Trinity he was awarded the Postgraduate Accompanist Prize. Phil has also been recipient of the Royal Philarmonic Society’s Ilsa and Leonard Cross Award. While a student at the Trinity College Junior Department he was awarded both the Spencer Boney Memorial Prize and the Billy Mayerl Award for Improvisation.

Phil has performed piano concertos at Southwark Cathedral (Poulenc) and St. Johns, Smith Square (Shostakovitch 2nd). He has also given solo performances at the Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room. For years he was a prominent member of the National Youth Music Theatre, with whom he performed around the world. Whilst still at school, Phil performed Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time and the premiere of Oscar Bettison’s Guido’s Music Box with members of the London Mozart Players. He had a special commendation at the 1998 Evangelia Tjiarri Piano Competition, and in 1996 was accompanist at the BBC Young Musician Percussion Finals.

Since completing his studies Phil has been involved in a wide variety of projects, including as a workshop leader on the Lloyds TSB “Note-for-Note” scheme, and as musical director for a number of musical theatre pieces. He has been working closely with the Concordia Foundation on several projects, and is very excited to be involved with the Landon Ensemble.

Alex Duliba, 22, comes from Mellor in the Peak District and is no stranger to the local stage. At an early age, he was an enthusiastic participant in local dramatic societies where he built up a keen interest in singing and developed his love of classical music. Previously Alex had been studying with Robert Alderson, senior vocal teacher at the R.N.C.M where he developed his great love of lieder and art song.

He has performed at numerous concerts and oratorios; notably in the past he was the guest soloist with the Kinder male voice choir directed by Joyce Ellis, and was involved in the Yorkshire Youth Choir directed by John Pryce-Jones. He also gained 1^st place in the lieder competition at Rosendale music festival.

Over the past year Alex has been studying with the renowned tutor David Pollard at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, focusing his interests towards opera. At present he is in his second year studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Future engagements include a performance in Stravinsky’s Rakes Progress and a series of recitals and cabaret concerts around London.

Michael Grant studied clarinet with the late Angela Fussell and saxophone with Peter Nichols and Sarah Markham as a scholar at the Royal College of Music, London, before accepting a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he currently studies clarinet with Julian Farrell and previously saxophone with Christian Forshaw. He enjoys a varied career as a soloist and chamber musician and has travelled across the world to give performances, most recently to Italy, Vienna, Singapore and Australia.

As a soloist and chamber musician, Michael has appeared in some of the UK's most prestigious venues, including St James' Piccadilly, the National Portrait Gallery, St John's Smith Square, the Britten Theatre, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the Wigmore Hall, the Blüthner Piano Centre in Mayfair and Central Hall in Edinburgh. He has won numerous prizes for his performances; in 2003 alone reaching the Quarter Finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year and winning first-prize titles for Sevenoaks Young Musician of the Year and the Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra Soloists Competition, as well as the Sally Wainwright Prize for Woodwind Players at the RCM. Michael has had a number of works written for him, most notably the saxophone concerto Kaleidochimera by James Long, which he premiered in 2003 and took to the Edinburgh Festival in 2005. He has also been fortunate to work with some of London’s most talented musicians, including the late Vivian Troon (ex principal pianist with the RPO) and international harpist Danielle Perrett.

Also a keen jazz musician and light entertainer, Michael has played clarinet, saxophone and flute in many musicals, including The Witches of Eastwick, Kiss Me Kate, Anything Goes, I Sing! Suessical the Musical and My Favourite Year. He has worked with the Baron Knights, the Foundations, the Humphrey Littleton Band and regularly performs as part of a jazz duo, Guys of Note, in and around London. As a composer Michael has had chamber works performed by the Landon Ensemble and the Hollywell Ensemble, and worked on collaborations with dancers from the Place Theatre in Euston, London, and the Royal Ballet in Covent Garden.

Michael will shortly be recording his first solo CD, Postcards, with pianist Yuki Negishi, featuring music from nationalist composers around the world.

Julie Groves is both a performer and composer for her instrument and has great enthusiasm for chamber music. She performs in and around London as a duo with prize-winning accompanist Phil Cornwell, with the accomplished flexible wind quintet the London Myriad Ensemble, and takes many orchestral engagements with various orchestras on the London and Greater London circuit.

Julie recently took first prize in the Lions International Great Britain and Ireland Music Competition Final 2006, with the Europe round to follow. She has also recently been a finalist in both the Harold Clarke Woodwind Competition and the Albert Cooper Competition. Julie also has upcoming concerto engagements having previously performed Frank Martin’s Ballade and Pierre Boulez’s Memoriam.

She graduated from Trinity College of Music in 2005 having studied with inspiring soloist Wissam Boustany. Julie previously gained her first class BMus from Royal Holloway University of London and was privileged to study with Judith Hall, Susan Milan and Clare Southworth, with Simon Holt and Philip Cashian as composition tutors.

Julie has given solo and orchestral performances at such prestigious venues as Blackheath Halls, St James’s Piccadilly, St Martin’s in the Fields, Lauderdale House and St John’s Smith Square.

Associated websites: www.juliegroves.com, www.londonmyriad.com, www.rcsorchestra.com, www.neworpheusensemble.co.uk, www.concordiafoundation.com.

Dan James began playing the 'cello at the age of seven, and has since studied with Ethan Merrick, Gordon Pringle and currently with Naomi Butterworth ('cello) and Corin Long (double bass) at Trinity College of Music, London. He has performed in some of London's most prestigeous venues including St. John's Smith Square, St.
Martin-in-the-fields, Purcell Rooms, Queen Elizabeth Halls, Royal Albert Hall, and the Wigmore Hall.

As a chamber musician Dan has participated in the London String Quartet Week and in 2005 his string quartet reached the finals of the National Youth String Quartet Competition and were invited to Leiston Abbey, Suffolk to perform to the Wihan Quartet. The string quartet have also performed for the Secretaries of Education for the EU member states at Lancaster House, London.

Dan made his concerto debut at St. John's Smith Square with the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto in A minor and has since gone on to perform the work with Brighton Youth Orchestra both in England and on their
2006 tour to Switzerland.

As an orchestral player himself, Dan is in high demand both as a guest principal 'cellist and double bass player, performing with West Sussex Youth Orchestra (principal 'cello 2001-02), Brighton Youth Orchestra (principal 'cello 2003-04), Worthing Philharmonic, London Irish Symphony Orchestra, Musicians of All Saints and Hampstead Garden Opera. Dan also teaches at Trinity College of Music, Junior Department String Time course, as well as privately.

Hannah Long is twenty one years old and was born and brought up in Norfolk. From an early age she has loved performing and made her stage debut at 7. Since then she has performed as a Principle with the Great Yarmouth Gilbert and Sullivan Society, her roles including Kate in The Yeomen of the Guard, Gianetta in The Gondoliers, and the title role in Princess Ida. She is also a regular soloist with the Cromer and Sheringham Choral society and has sung the Soprano roles in Handel's Messiah, The Creation by Haydn Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony and Faure's Requiem. Hannah has also sung with the Wymondham Choral society in Haydn's Nelson Mass, and Mozart's Coronation Mass. Hannah had the pleasure of performing at the Aldeburgh Festival in the Rake’s Progress by Stravinsky in 2006 as part of the Britten-Pears project.

Hannah won the title of Norfolk Young Musician of the year in 2003, before successfully auditioning for a place at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She is currently in her fourth year, studying singing with Sarah Pring. Hannah has had pieces written for her by promising young composers, including Matthew Knowles and Joshua Kaye and of course Michael Grant and is very excited about performing with the Landon Chamber Ensemble. She hopes to pursue a career in Opera.

Elen is currently attending the 3^rd year of a 4 year B. Mus Degree Course at the Royal Academy of Music in London where she accepted a full scholarship. Her principal instrument is the violin, under the guidance of Mateja Marinkovic and she also studies harp as a secondary study with Charlotte Seal. She achieved distinction in the ABRSM Diploma whilst attending school in 2001.

Her career, to date, has allowed her to play in numerous orchestras and ensembles together with appearances as a soloist on both harp and violin in concerts nationwide. She has been successful in a variety of competitions both as a soloist and as a member of an ensemble.

She is a member of Neath Chamber Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru, the Royal Orchestral Society, Cardiff Sinffonietta and the Chamber Orchestra of Wales. She has also been a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales since the age of 13 and has been fortunate to have been appointed as leader for the last 3 years under the baton of Owain Arwel Hughes.

Elen has been involved in televised performances  with Bryn Terfel at the Faenol Festival and at the Albert Hall with massed Welsh Male Voice Choirs. She has also supported Catrin Finch, Katherine Jenkins, Llyr Williams, Peter Donahoe, Chloe Hanslip, Thomas Carroll, Willard White et al whilst a member of these orchestras.

On a freelance basis Elen has played in productions of the Wizard of Oz, West Side Story, Half a Sixpence, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, the Wizz, Me and My Girl, the Blitz and Oliver. She has also played at numerous weddings including that of the Rt. Hon. Peter Hain MP., the current Welsh and Northern Ireland Secretary.

Her experience also includes supporting Kanye West on his nationwide tour, and collaboration with a rock band at “The Mean Fiddler” in London, which initiated an interest in broadening her musical horizons in this area. Elen intends to gain as much experience as possible whilst in London before continuing her studies on a postgraduate course at a conservatoire in Europe or a college or university in America or Canada.

Gwenllian was born in Neath, South Wales in 1986 and began playing the violin at 4 years of age. She is a member of Sinfonia Cymru and the Chamber Orchestra of Wales and has been the recipient of a number of prizes for her individual and ensemble playing. At 11 years old, she gained distinction in Grade 8 Violin and later achieved a Distinction in her DipABRSM at the age of 16. She has also been a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales for the last 8 years. Gwenllian has been involved in televised performances with Bryn Terfel at the Faenol Festival and at the Albert Hall with massed Welsh Male Voice Choirs. She has also supported Llyr Williams, Chloe Hanslip, Catrin Finch, Peter Donahoe, Katherine Jenkins, Willard White, Thomas Caroll, The Choir Boys and Andrea Bocelli.

Gwenllian enjoys playing in a variety of ensembles and is a member of the Landon String Quartet with her sister, Elen. Gwenllian hopes to pursue a career in music following the completion of her studies. 

Marie Lee Gustafsson received her early musical training at the Nordic Music Conservatory, studying both the piano and violin. In 2005 she graduated with a Master of Music in Performance with First Class Distinction from the Royal College of Music, learning with Yonty Solomon and previously with the late Irina Zaritskaya. In July 2004 she was awarded the prestigious Chappell Gold Medal and other prizes won include Esther Fisher Prize, Vivian Hamilton Prize, Pauer Prize and Ellen Marie Curtis Prize. Marie Lee was born in Sweden in 1980 and performed at the age of twelve for the King and Queen of Sweden and made her concerto debut at the age of fourteen. Before commencing her studies in the UK she was awarded first prize of the broadcasted Nordic Talent music competition, the Young Soloist Prize and the Young Artist’s Award. She has performed in the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s John Cage Weekend at the Barbican Centre and with the Southbank Sinfonia. As a soloist she has broadcast live performances on Scandinavian television with the Oslo Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra and Sodertalje Symphony Orchestra. She gives recitals both as a soloist and chamber musician at venues such as Steinway Hall, Drapers Hall, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, St. James Piccadilly, National Gallery and the Pump Room in Bath.

Her musical education has been supported by the Royal College of Music, Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, Concordia Foundation, Prince Sigvard & Marianne Bernadotte’s Art Trust and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.

Rebecca Hopkin began her musical studies at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester at the age of 14 where she played in many ensembles including the Symphony Orchestra of which she was principal viola many times. She studied with Roger Bigley (Lindsay Quartet), Scott Dickinson (who was a member of the Leopold trio and he is now in the Scottish Symphony Orchestra) and Mark Knight (Professor at Guildhall School of Music). Whilst at Chetham’s she was also a member of the National Youth Symphonia (principal twice) and 3^rd chair in the National Youth Orchestra’s viola section.

After completing her 4 years at Chetham’s school of music, she was offered a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music where she has just completed her 3^rd year. She has studied with Yuko Inoue and her current teacher is Matthew Souter (Alberni Quartet).

In the fall semester of 2005 Rebecca studied at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, on the exchange programme with the Academy. Whilst over there she studied with George Taylor (who was a member of the Ciompi Quartet and now professor at Eastman), had orchestral lessons with Melissa Matson (Principal viola with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra) and master classes with the Ying String Quartet.

When she returned to London she was offered the position of viola tutor on the National Children’s Chamber Orchestra of Great Britain. Rebecca is very interested in the modern compositions for the viola including contemporary and jazz. Her quartet has recently received coaching from the Takacs Quartet.

Carina Drury was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2003 where she is currently in her third year of study with Philip Sheppard.

She began playing the cello when she was nine years old with the late Prof. Nora Gilleece at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. From 2001-2003 she studied there on scholarship with William Butt and was awarded numerous awards and prizes including both the Intermediate (2001) and Senior (2002) Royal Irish Academy of Music String Rosebowls, and the Siemens Feis Ceoil Pat Crehan Cup (1999).

An experienced orchestral player, Carina has held the position of Principal Cellist in many orchestras including Dublin Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland. She also plays regularly in the Royal Academy of Music Concert and Symphony Orchestras and with the Britten-Pears Orchestra.

Carina is a committed and sensitive chamber musician and she has participated in chamber music festivals throughout Europe. She was invited to study on scholarship at the International Academy of Music, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Italy (2003, 2004) and was one of ten young Irish musicians chosen by Dr. Hugh Maguire to participate in the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th International Chamber Music Course for Young String Players (2001, 2002, 2003) in Pra Catinat, Italy. In 2003 Carina made her debut as a soloist with orchestra with Kim Vaughan playing Giovanni Sollima’s ‘Violoncelles, Vibrez!’ for two solo cellos and the course string orchestra.

As a chamber musician she has received tuition from members of world renowned string quartets including the Alberni, Skampa, Allegri and Amadeus quartets. She was chosen to perform Habeneck’s ‘Variations on a Basque theme’ with violinist Naoko Miyamoto in March 2006 as part of the Royal Academy of Music’s Paganini in London festival. She was also chosen to perform in the world premiere of Lionel Rogg’s Concerto for Organ and Chamber Orchestra in the Royal Academy of Music Dukes Hall as part of the Rogg Festival.

A creative and versatile performer, she has taken part in group improvisation classes with Philip Sheppard and in a jazz cello workshop with Ernst Reijseger. She regularly plays with the Royal Academy of Music Studio Orchestra and Manson Ensembles.

Carina has participated in masterclasses throughout Europe with distinguished artists such as Ralph Kirschbaum, Nathaniel Rosen and Mikhail Milman.

Linda Kidwell holds a first class music degree from the University of Manchester. She was granted a full scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, supported by the Roitman Rose and British Land Plc awards. In 2004 she was one of only four people to be awarded the prestigious Elton John Scholarship in order to pursue her postgraduate studies.

Whilst at the Academy, Linda had the opportunity of playing under eminent conductors including Yan Pascal Tortelier, Jean Pierre Valade, Vernon Handley, and Sir Colin Davis in the BBC Proms. In 2006 she became a member of the Southbank Sinfonia, and since then has enjoyed a busy freelancing schedule with the Royal Opera House (solo viola, La Serva Padrona), National Chamber Orchestra of Wales (principal), Manchester Camerata, Locrian Ensemble, BBC Concert Orchestra and the Orchestra of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

As a soloist, Linda has performed on both national and international television, making her first live international solo appearance in China at the age of 18. She has been invited to perform at several international festivals, and in July performed the world premiere of Jordan Hunts Viola Concerto, Nuages Agiteés. An active chamber musician, Linda performed alongside violist Philip Dukes in the International Festival De Musique De La Hague, and has in 2006 performed at the Wigmore Hall, St John’s Smith Square, LSO St Lukes, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Cadogan Hall, and the Linbury studio of the Royal Opera House.

Andrew Saunders, now aged 25, won a scholarship to the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music (aged 14) to study piano with professor Patricia Carroll. He gave his first concerto performance, Mozart’s A major K.488, in the same year followed by the Grieg concerto and Tchaikovsky’s first concerto whilst still an A level student at Christ’s Hospital School in Horsham, West Sussex, where he also received tuition from John Thwaites, Tim Horton and Adrian West.
In July 2002 Andrew toured Germany and the Czech Republic playing Tchaikovsky’s first concerto conducted by Michael Sullivan, and in March 2003 he made his London concerto debut at the Barbican, playing Constant Lambert’s Rio Grande, conducted by Charles Hazlewood. Andrew’s latest concerto performances were Shostokovic No.2 with Finchley Chamber Orchestra, Tchaikovsky No.1 with North London Symphony Orchestra - both conducted by David Lardi - and another performance of Lambert’s Rio Grande as part of the Chichester Festivities.

Andrew graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2004 having been awarded a four-year scholarship from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music to study piano with professor Niel Immelman. Concerts at other London venues have included the Purcell Room, St. Martin in the Fields, St. John’s Smith Square and the Venezuelan Embassy, as well as performances abroad; Austria, Germany, Italy and Spain. Earlier this year Andrew won a scholarship to perform at the ‘Oxford Philomusica International Piano Festival’.

As a chamber musician Andrew has enjoyed working with an ex-leader of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, BBC Young Musician of the Year finalists, members of the major London orchestras, friends from the London music conservatoires and most recently, with the Landon ensemble. Andrew also very much enjoys teaching, and providing background music for weddings and other social and corporate events – as a soloist or as part of a duo, with male / female jazz singer, saxophonist or violinist.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Yuki Negishi started playing the piano at the age of five in New York City. At the age of ten, she was accepted to The Juilliard School Pre-College Division as an honorary scholarship student in the class of the late Richard Fabre, who was a pupil of the celebrated Rosina Lhevinne. After completing her studies at the Toho Gakuen School of Music with honours and at the Amsterdam Conservatory, she completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Performance and Masters in Music Degree, both with distinction, and recently the Artist Diploma at the Royal College of Music, London, where she studied with Mikako Abe, Jan Marisse Huizing, and Ruth Nye. Yuki has also worked with such eminent figures as the late Takahiro Sonoda, Christian Zacharias, the late Irina Zaritskaya, Dominique Merlet, and Murray Perahia. She was awarded the 2nd prize at the 2000 International Jeunesses Musicales Competition in Bucharest, and since coming to the UK in 2001, she has additionally won numerous prizes at the RCM and elsewhere.

Yuki Negishi has been invited to perform in recitals and festivals, and has made appearances with orchestras in the UK, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Romania, Japan and the USA. She has toured extensively in the Netherlands supported by The International Holland Music Sessions, performing in no fewer than 15 cities (including the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam). In the UK, she has performed in recitals, among others, at Blüthner Piano Centre, Steinway Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the Haverhill Sinfonia Summer Music Series, for the Concordia Foundation, and for the Chopin Society in London. She also performed the complete Preludes of Chopin in the event “Seeking Chopin” for the inauguration of the publication of the critical Peters Edition, London with the renowned musicologist Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger in 2004. Her performances have been broadcast on Dutch, Polish, Romanian and French television and radio. Also a keen chamber musician, she has collaborated with members of the Japan Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. She is delighted to be a member of the Landon Chamber Ensemble.

Recent engagements include recitals in Tokyo, Hannover, New York, at the Festival di Londra (Ripatransone, Italy), Leeds International Concert Series, as well as in London and across the UK. Yuki is currently studying privately with Dr. Peter Katin, and she is generously supported by the prestigious London Blüthner Piano Centre.
Website: http://yukinegishi.hp.infoseek.co.jp/.

Francesca began playing the violin at the age of six and changed to viola during her time at the Victoria University School of Music in Wellington, New Zealand. She graduated from VUSM in 2005 with a Bachelor of Music with first class Honours.

While studying in New Zealand Francesca held a full time position in the Vector Wellington Orchestra, performing regularly with the Royal New Zealand Ballet and National Opera companies, and performed as an extra player with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
In 2006 Francesca moved to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she completed a Post Graduate Diploma in performance with Alexander Zemtsov. In March 2007 she won the Max and Peggy Morgan viola concerto competition at GSMD.

Since moving to London Francesca has been on trial with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, and has performed with several London orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.