King Georges Hall

Alexandra Wynn ~ Mezzo-Soprano

Alexandra has been a member of the chorus for the RNCM productions of ‘Die Fledermaus’, ‘Katya Kabanova’, ‘La Belle Helene’ and ‘Carmen’. Alexandra sang as a ‘gossip’ in the RWCM’s performances of ‘Noye’s Fludde’ when she was a member of the Royal Welsh College junior school. Alexandra recently appeared with Elemental Opera singing as ‘the parishioner’ in Szymanowski’s ‘King Rodger’. She has also just completed her performance in the summer opera scenes at the RNCM singing ‘Florence’ in Brittan’s ‘Albert Herring’,  ‘Madame de la Hatiere’ in Massenet’s ‘Cendrillion’ and ‘Penelope’ in ‘il Ritornello d’Ultilise’ by Motiverdi. Apart from singing Alexandra is a keen composer having had her composition recently used on the BBC’s ‘Songs of Praise’. Future engagements involve performances of Mozart’s Solemn Vespers and his C minor Mass with the William Bird singers.

James Vaughan ~ Piano

James, originally from Lincolnshire, began playing the piano at the age of five and later took up the violin and voice. He is currently in his fourth year of undergraduate study at the Royal Northern College of Music, under the tutelage of renowned pianist Sally Ann MacLeod.From a young age, he was heavily involved in local music festivals and concerts. In June 2004, he received a distinction in his ATCL performance diploma and in August 2008, also received a distinction in his LTCL performance diploma. James has been fortunate enough to have recently been offered numerous recital and concerto opportunities including a performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 26, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, the latter of which he performed in the Concerto Competition finals at the RNCM. He is also heavily involved in duo playing and other chamber music, including recently performing in the final of the Barbirolli Prize for cellists at the RNCM, as well as in Malvern at the Elgar Birthplace Museum, with the violinist Caroline Pether.  Since becoming a student of the RNCM, James has won first prize in the John Ireland Prize which is held every two years and open to all students, as well as several prizes in accompaniment, including recently the Stella Bradshaw Award for accompaniment, and is very much in demand as an accompanist and chamber musician.  He has been lucky enough to have participated in masterclasses with Peter Donohoe, Benjamin Frith, Julius Drake, Ralph Kirshbaum, Gary Hoffman and Gabor Tacaks-Nagy amongst others. In Manchester, he maintains a busy portfolio of teaching, accompanying and solo performance work.

****

The Joy Quartet at the 17 February Concert

The Joy QuartetThe Joy Quartet was formed in November 2011 at the Royal Northern College of Music. Already the quartet have worked with the composer Howard Skempton, performed in the RNCM Chamber Music Festival and received world class coaching from musicians such as Peter Cropper and Avedis Kouyoumdjian as part of the European Chamber Music Academy.   Anna Brigham - ViolinAnna Brigham started the violin aged 5, and is currently is studying for a Masters in Violin Performance under Pavel Fischer at the Royal Northern College of Music. Previously she studied with Krysia Osostowicz and attained a BMus (Hons) degree from the University of Birmingham.  

Chamber music is Anna's great musical passion. She attended the chamber music course Pro Corda for five years and has appeared several times as a guest performer with the world-renowned Dante Quartet. As an orchestral musician, she has led the CBSO Youth Orchestra, all of the University of Birmingham orchestras, and the Cornwall Youth Orchestra. Anna has also performed solo recitals throughout the UK, and recent master-classes include Gerard Poulet, Peter Manning and Yair Kless. In the last year Anna has organised and led numerous musical outreach projects; working with schoolchildren, the elderly, and people with learning difficulties.

Anna’s studies at the RNCM are generously supported by Henry Dixon’s Foundation for Apprenticing and the Adam’s Youth Trust. Sam Parker – ViolinSam Parker started the violin aged 4 and was playing in his first string quartet aged 7. He was a member of NYSA and Pro Corda chamber music courses and led orchestras on both of these courses, performing solos on numerous occasions with Sir Neville Mariner at NYSA. Sam studied under Maciej Rakowski for 3 years prior to undertaking an undergraduate course in Mathematics at the University of Warwick, leading the universities orchestras for the entirety of his time there. In 2010 Sam won the University of Warwick concerto competition, and performed Sibelius’ violin concerto at the Butterworth Hall in April 2011. Having graduated with honours from Warwick, Sam is currently studying a postgraduate performance course at the Royal Northern College of Music under Leland Chen. Since joining the RNCM in September 2011, Sam has worked with and performed for the composer Howard Skempton in a festival celebrating his works, and has led the RNCM Chamber Orchestra.  Sam continues to pursue a passion for chamber music with a variety of projects, foremost being the creation of the Joy Quartet in November 2011.   

Joy Becker – Viola

 Joy Becker is 18 and has been playing the violin since the age of 5, after hearing Tasmin Little at the Bridgewater Hall and announcing that she wanted to be a violinist! She is currently carrying out a four year degree in performance at the Royal Northern College of Music studying with Leland Chen, before which she studied at the Junior RNCM taking lessons in violin, voice, and chamber music. She was previously a member of the NYO and the former leader of the Halle Youth Orchestra, the Bolton Youth Orchestra, with whom she also performed the Bruch Violin Concerto, and the Junior RNCM Chamber Orchestra.  Joy has been awarded the Dorothy L. Sayers award two years running, and was last year awarded the Rohi Gazder Prize for Violin. In her final year at the JRNCM she was received the prize for ‘outstanding contribution’ to the institution. After her degree Joy hopes to carry out a post-graduate course in Germany. Since starting at the RNCM she has become heavily involved in chamber music and has taken a keen interest in the viola, which she studies with Ruth Gibson. 

 Daniel Harrison – Cello

Daniel Harrison studied at the Purcell School and the Royal Academy of Music before reading Music at Cambridge, graduating with a first. After a very nearly becoming a lawyer, he decided that playing the cello was a far better plan. He has performed at venues across Europe including the Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room and the Palace of Versailles and his compositions have been performed in the Royal Festival Hall. He is currently enrolled in MMus course at the RNCM, studying with Peter Dixon.