Anna-Livia Walker graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (July 2007) with a Postgraduate Diploma under the direction of Caryl Thomas where she received a Postgraduate Award and the Daniel E. Davies Award. She graduated from the “Istituto Boccherini” Conservatory in Lucca (Italy) with the maximum score, in a nine year programme under direction of Laura Saviozzi. Anna-Livia also attended Interlochen Summer Academy (Michigan) at age 14, performing on piano and harp. She has taken part in masterclasses given by Catrin Finch, David Watkins, Meinir Heulyn, Elizabeth Fontan-Binoche, Fabrice Pierre, Ursula Holliger, Valerie Aldrich-Smith, Catherine White, Judith Liber, Lisetta Rossi.

Anna-Livia has won numerous awards and scholarships. At Interlochen Arts Academy she was awarded graduation honours and she received scholarships for excellence from the Istituto Boccherini on two occasions. The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama granted her a bursary, and the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas gave her their International Arts Award (2005). She was awarded first prize in national Italian competitions (1998, 2000) and was an Italian finalist for European Union Youth Orchestra (2003). In April 2007 she was selected to perform as a soloist with the late Yehudi Menuhin’s Live Music Now scheme.

Anna-Livia has played as a soloist with numerous orchestras including a performance of Mozart’s Flute and Harp concerto with the Camerata Aquilana. She has appeared as a guest harpist at the Olympic Relay in Florence, Pontine Festival near Rome, Corsanico International Festival, Gioviano Festival of Young Talent (Lucca), Torre del Lago’s Puccini Festival. Broadcasts include BBC Wales Radio for the launch of the 1st European Harp Symposium.

In 2008 she performed in a series of concerts with the Strauss Konzert Orchestra in Italy, the Orchestra Nuova Europa under the direction of Alan Freiles and with the Orchestra dell’Accademia under the direction of Herbert Handt in France and Italy..

The harp has been kindly lent to her by The Cherubim Music Trust.

Aoife Nic Athlaoich - Cello
Cliodna Shanahan - Piano

Aoife and Cliodna have been playing together since meeting at the
Royal College of Music over five years ago.
They have given numerous performances throughout the UK and Ireland
and have attended both the Clandeboye Festival and the West Cork
Chamber Music Festival in Ireland.
Aoife and Cliodna won the duo prize and the contemporary music prize
at Feis Ceoil, Dublin, they have a keen interest in new music and have
two commissions underway by young Irish composers.
Aoife and Cliodna have attended Music Network Ireland's 'making
overtures' musicians Seminar, and have been generously supported by
the Arts Council Ireland, An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

Horn: Emily Allen
Clarinet: James Burke
Bassoon: Ruth Rosales
Flute: Kate Walter
Oboe: Michael O’Donnell

The Aris Quintet are current fellows at the Guildhall School of Music where they won competitions such as the Ivan Sutton Chamber Prize. Having completed their postgraduate study, they have an impressive CV, ranging from recitals – at venues including Southwark Cathedral and Downing Street – to chamber workshops at the Wigmore Hall. The quintet travelled to Belgium and Holland to perform the World Premier of a collaborative project for wind quintet, harp and baritone in some of the countries most prestigious music festivals. The quintet has also toured to countries such as Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria and the Ukraine performing numerous recitals. They are also current members of Live Music Now.

The group are dedicated to performing a wide spectrum of repertoire with their programming ranging from familiar to more adventurous repertoire. Recent highlights include the World Premier of Simon Speare’s Escape in November 2008 and a live recording of Stockhausen’s Adieu for a BBC radio 3 broadcast in January 2009. Last year Aris were thrilled to be asked to participate in the Tunnell Trust's Blair Atholl showcase where they performed in concerts alongside artists such as William Bennett and Neil Black.

World Premier Performances:
•Escape, Simon Speare, 27/11/2008, (November 2008, St. Mary’s Church, Walthamstow)
•Carmen for wind quintet, harp and baritone, summer 2007, Belgium (Zommeropera) and Holland

Recitals and Tours:
•BBC radio 3 broadcast of Stockhausen's Adieu (January 2009, LSO St. Lukes)
•St. Mary’s Church, Walthamstow (November 2008)
•Amnesty International recital (November 2008)
•Concert at Downing Street for Her Majesty's Treasury (September 2008)
•Tour to Belgium and Holland – World Premier of Carmen (Bizet arr. Jan Willem Nelleke) arranged for wind quintet, harp and baritone (June 2007)
•Swan Hellenic Cruise recital series (May 2006)
•Southwark Cathedral recital (November 2005)
•Regular musicians in City venues – Mansion House, City of London Festival and Spitalfields Festival

Work in the Education Sector
•School and hospital workshops in north London
•'Chamber Tots' - Wigmore Hall
•Weekend Wind Quintet Workshop for Northants Music Service

Prizes
•Ivan Sutton Chamber Music Award, 1st prize

Masterclasses
•Aberystwyth Chamber Course – coaching from Philippa Davies and Martin Gatt
•Masterclass with Jiggs Wigham, Richard Bissill, Eric Crees, Caroline Palmer and Peter Gane at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama

The Astrum Guitar Duo are a dynamic and exciting Classical guitar duo emerging onto the classical music scene. Based in Manchester, Martin Bickerton and Amy Perry frequently perform at venues around the UK. Their debut performance in April 2009 was described as:

‘The Astrum Duo certainly made the grade’ - Classical Guitar Magazine August 2009.

The Aurora Trio is a young, versatile and professional group that enjoys
performing both recitals and background music. The three members have
collectively studied both undergraduate and master degrees at the top music colleges in London. As young professionals, they have an impressive CV and perform regularly in various venues around London including recitals at the prestigious Wigmore Hall. They are also members of ‘Live Music Now’
enabling the trio to perform to audiences who may not ordinarily have the
opportunity of attending concerts .The trio members are dedicated to
performing a wide spectrum of repertoire ranging from Gershwin to Bach.

Aurora Trio
Emily Callaghan completed her Masters degree at the Royal Academy of
Music after studying at the Guildhall School of Music for her Bmus hons
degree. She has studied with various top orchestral musicians including
Kate Hill, Michael Cox and Ian Clarke. Her orchestral experience
includes the Guildhall School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music
Symphony Orchestras, Sinfonia Cymru, Orpheus Sinfonia and the Azalea
Ensemble with whom she has played in the Royal Festival Hall, the
Barbican Centre and the Cadogan Hall. As well as being a current
freelance orchestral musician, Emily is also a keen chamber and solo
musician. She has performed across the UK with various chamber music
ensembles and performed concertos as part of the National Association of
Youth Orchestras in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Fiona Mitchell played in various ensembles from an early age including the
National Youth Wind Orchestra and Junior Guildhall School of Music
orchestras where she was a finalist in Lutine Prize. Fiona went on to study
joint clarinet and recorder at the Royal College of Music gaining her BMus
(Hons) in 2008. Fiona is currently studying her Masters in clarinet
performance and Classical Clarinet at the Royal Academy of Music. She has
recently been touring with the Orchestre Reveloutionnaire et Romantique
and has traveled to various countries including Paris, New York and Italy.
She is soon to perform alongside Sir John Elliot Gardiner at the Opera
Comique.
Ruth Rosales completed both her Mmus and her Bmus hons degree at the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama, taking one year to study in
Hamburg, Germany on the Erasmus Exchange. Ruth is a Junior Fellow at
the Guildhall School of Music. Her orchestral experience includes the
Guildhall Orchestras, including the joint GSMD and RAM orchestra under
Sir Colin Davies, the London European Orchestra, Hamburg
Musikhochschul Orchester and the Orion Orchestra. With various chamber
music ensembles, Ruth has performed in numerous prestigious locations in
London as well as touring the Black and Baltic seas and performing in
Holland and Belgium's Zommer Oper festival. She has also performed on
BBC radio 3 and BBC world.
As well as private teaching, Ruth’s work in education also includes working
with the LSO discovery, the Tunnell Trust and GSMD workshops.

BILL FLEMING (saxophones) is a member of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. Bill was born in Bellshill and started playing alto saxophone aged 11. He switched to baritone sax a year later, hoping to fast-track himself into the school big band. He joined the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra in 2002 and played concerts at Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen jazz festivals. He appears on TSYJO's album, Exploration, with Joe Locke and has also appeared with Bobby Wellins and Gary Novak. A graduate from the University of Strathclyde, Bill won the university's Sir Alexander Stone Awards for excellence in performance in 2006.

First class honours music graduate, PAUL TRACEY (guitar) studied jazz guitar and acoustic fingerstyle guitar with renowned Scottish guitarist John Goldie. A versatile guitarist whose playing draws influence from folk, jazz, pop and funk, Paul regularly plays throughout the country at festivals including the Glasgow Jazz Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

JAMES LINDSAY is a double/electric bass player from Inverurie (Aberdeenshire) currently based in Glasgow. He has performed at various venues, festival and tours across the UK and further afield including: Edmonton Folk Festival, Celtic Connections, Lorient Festival Interceltique, Tour of Denmark, Orkney Folk Festival, Eden Court Inverness, Big in Falkirk, Shrewsbury Folk Festival, The Jazz Bar Edinburgh, Stonehaven Folk Festival, Queens Hall Edinburgh, Aberdeen Music Hall, Malzhaus Plauen (Berlin).

SCOTT MACKAY (drums) has been playing drums since the age of nine, recently graduating from the BA Applied Music course at Strathclyde University with First Class Honours. He was also awarded the Alexander Stone Award for Excellence in Performance for his final recital. Scott has been taught by some great drummers such as Alan Dale (London West End) and Tom Gordon (BBC Big Band). In June 2008 he was a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the year. Scott now works as a freelance musician with a wide range of groups across the country.

BRASS SPECTRUM

Robert Wallace – Trumpet
Chris Seddon – Trumpet
Christopher Lund – Horn
Fiona McLean – Trombone
David Kendall – Tuba

Brass Spectrum was formed in 2004 in order to innovate the modern day brass quintet by providing an individual approach to performing. Their aim is to captivate their audience with a unique and dynamic performance through playing new compositions and arrangements combined with the classic brass quintet repertoire.
Brass Spectrum have toured Europe and the UK competing in various competitions. These have included the Norman Cooper Chamber Music Prize, 1st Prize and the Jan Koetsier International Brass Quintet Competition, 2nd Prize. They were also prize winners in the Martin Musical Scholarship Fund.
Brass Spectrum are fully dedicated to education work. They are currently on the prestigious Live Music Now! Scheme and have given influential master classes and workshops throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The group have performed at numerous festivals and venues such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Aberdeen International Youth Festival, Angel Canal Festival, London Symphony Orchestra Discovery Series, Elmwood Hall (Belfast), Central Hall (Edinburgh), Music Hall and Cowdary Hall (Aberdeen) and the Concert Hall of the University of Music and Performing Arts, Munich. They have also been awarded a radio production with Bayerischer Rundfunk and have performed a concerto with the Baden Wuttenburg Wind Ensemble.
Brass Spectrum were quintet in residence at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 2006-2007, where they performed a number of concerts. They also provided a recital to mark the opening of the first Guildhall Ensembles Festival.

Rob Wallace is a freelance trumpeter from London. As a youngster he studied at the junior department of the Royal College of Music and Chetham's School of Music and from 1999-2003 was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, spending his last two years as principal trumpet. Rob then went on to complete a BMbus(Hons) degree at the Guildhall school of Music and Drama studying with Paul Beniston, Anne McAneny, Paul Cosh and Steve Keavy and spent the first simester of his third year studying at the Hamburg Hochschule für Musik und Theater with Matthias Hofs. After Guildhall, Rob was accepted onto the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Future Firsts apprenticeship scheme and completed an 8 month contract with the Southbank Sinfonia.
As a freelancer, Rob has performed with many eminent orchestras such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, English Sinfonia, West Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Chamber Orchestra of Wales and regularly works as a workshop and instrumental tutor for the London Symphony Orchestra's 'Discovery' education and outreach department.
Born in Bangor, Northern Ireland in 1983,

Pamela Snell started learning the trumpet at the age of 8. A year later she began lessons with Paul Young (Principal trumpet, Ulster Orchestra). Pamela has played in orchestras since the age of 11. These include the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra, Ulster Youth Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the European Union Youth Orchestra. Most recently, Pamela has performed with the Castleward Opera Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia, Young Janacek Philharmonic and English Festival Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra.
Pamela graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, with a Bachelor of Music (hons) and a Masters in Performance where she studied with Paul Beniston (Principal Trumpet London Philharmonic Orchestra), Paul Cosh and Stephen Keavy (Natural Trumpet).
Pamela's solo experience includes many recitals in Belfast, a concerto in the Ulster Hall, the Maurice Andre competition in Paris and the Armours and Brasiers Brass Prize at the Guildhall School of music, which she won. Her most recent solo engagements include a solo recital in Lithuania to mark the opening of the Vilnuis Music Festival.
In addition to performing, Pamela is a teacher and arranger. She is currently teaching all over Northern Ireland in prestigious public, private and music schools. She is heavily involved in education work as a member of Brass Spectrum and as an individual.

Christopher Lund began his musical training at the North East of Scotland Music School with Ifor James. He then went on to be a student at the junior department of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama studying with Kenneth Blackwood and Maurice Temple. Then in September 2000, Christopher was accepted into the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he obtained his undergraduate and post-graduate training under the direction of Richard Bissill, Jeff Bryant, Hugh Seenan and Andrew Clark (natural horn). During his studies he performed with a variety of ensembles, orchestras and productions and was also a soloist at various venues across London and the UK. Also during his studies Christopher took part in a variety of master-classes with artists such as David Pyatt, Timothy Jones, Timothy Brown and Philip Myers.
As mentioned Christopher has performed with a variety of orchestras and ensembles, these include the European Union Youth Orchestra, Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Northern Ballet Theatre, London Mozart Players, BBC Concert Orchestra, Scottish Opera, Ulster Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra, Slovenian Philharmonic and Ensemble Modern in Frankfurt. He is also in demand as a teacher and in education work. He is currently on the Live Music Now! Scheme and in 2006 was the Horn and Chamber Music Instructor for the Piran Music Festival in Slovenia. He is currently the principal horn for Les Miserables in the West End.

Fiona McLean was born in Edinburgh and began playing the trombone at the age of 12. It wasn't until the age of 18 that she decided she wanted a career in music. During this time she played with various youth orchestras and ensembles including the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, the National Wind Ensemble of Scotland and the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra. Between the age of 18 and 21 she gained two teaching diplomas at Stevenson College, Edinburgh and studied privately with John Kenny.

In 2005 Fiona graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with a BMus Hons Degree on tenor and alto trombone. In 2006 she gained a MMus on bass trombone and in 2007 became a Guildhall Artist by undertaking a Masters in Musical Performance whilst Brass Spectrum studied as ensemble in residence. During her time at the Guildhall she studied with Eric Crees (Principal trombone, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, composer and arranger), Simon Wills (freelance trombonist, arranger and composer), John Kenny (freelance trombonist specialising in contemporary music and composer) and Keith McNicoll (Principal bass trombone, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden).

Fiona's freelance work spans from early music through to jazz including West End and function band work. Fiona has performed with a wide range of orchestras and ensembles which include Orchestra Bruno Maderna (Italy), Southbank Sinfonia, the Auralian Ensemble, New Professionals, Young Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, the Clod Ensemble, London Jazz Orchestra, the Broad Band, Les Miserables (Queens Theatre, London), the Masqueraders and the Replicators.

In addition to working as a freelance musician, Fiona has a keen interest in composition and arranging and works as a brass teacher for Ealing Junior Music School, City of London School for Girls and the Campion School and also teaches privately. She directs two brass ensembles and a Jazz ensemble and is heavily involved in education work.

Born in Southampton, David is now based in London as a freelance tuba player. He concluded his BMus (hons) degree at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2007, where he studied under Patrick Harrild (principal tuba, London Symphony Orchestra) as well as receiving tuition from many other renowned professors.
While at the Guildhall, David became the tuba player for Brass Spectrum. His work with the group covers many areas of musical activity, from formal recital performances to educational workshops that have taken him around the United Kingdom, as well as further a field for international competitions and performances where the group has enjoyed much success. Brass Spectrum is a registered ensemble for 'Live Music Now!' who they represent in many of their educational performances.
David has performed under the baton of many prestigious conductors including Sir Colin Davis, Valery Gergiev, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Vladimir Jurowski with the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony and the European Union Youth Orchestras and has been soloist in performances of the Vaughan Williams and Gregson tuba concertos with the City of Southampton and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras.

Brazilian Ensemble (violin, cello, piano, cavaquinho, percussion including the bombo legüero)

A versatile trio that explores traditional and contemporary Brazilian music, benefiting from a fusion of exotic instrumentation and influences. The group aims to provide new music using our creativity based on our individual backgrounds. The Brazilian Ensemble has experience playing music to voluntary organizations working with people with learning difficulties. They believe that music is a deeply significant form of communication, from which they can derive considerable benefit.

Felipe Karam (Cavaquinho, Violin) Felipe studied classical violin at Porto Alegre University, as well as learning popular music on violin and cavaquinho (the traditional steel-strung ukulele ubiquitous in samba and choro). Since arriving in the UK Felipe has already made a great impression, performing at venues including London’s Royal Festival Foyer and Spitz arts centre, and appearing regularly at one of London’s newest venues, Guanabara.

Diego Carneiro: Born in Brazil, he has graduated (BMus and PG Diplomas) from Trinity College of Music as a pupil of of Richard Markson. He obtained the Fellowship Trinity College of Music and holds international prizes for MTNA, the ASTA , Solo Emerging Artist, Young Soloists, Rio International Cello Competition, Vita Foudation, To Teixeira Foundation, Armando Prazeres Competition; Duche D'acua Viva, Marco Fiorindo Concorso in Italy. Leonard Smith Duo Competition, the Solti Foundation in Belgium, the Myra Hess Trust, The Tillett Trust, the English Chamber Orchestra Award, Barbirolli Award in the UK. In 2003 he has participated in the documentary "The Music of the Rain Forest" produced by BBC, and he also produced himself the documentary "Amazonia, The Resounding Jungle". In 2005, he appeared as a soloist in the London Promenade in Royal Albert Hall. Diego has worked in the theater in the DVD ´My street is this River'. He has founded the ArtClub part of the Sir William Crookes Spiritist Society in order to promote social inclusion in London. He has also founded and directs the AmaZonart non-profit-organization, which develops social-educational projects in the Amazon Region and has been performing in many cities fundraising for charity projects.

Carla Ruaro Pires: Born in Porto Alegre in south of Brazil, Carla started studying piano aged 9. At age 16 she started working professionally as pianist accompanied in concerts, competitions and auditions. Graduated from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil where she studied with Cristina Capparelli. Completed courses in Germanic Music, Piano Interpretation, Bass Continuo and Harpsichord. Carla worked for two years as pianist and stage manager of the Opera productions for the Catholic University PUC Choral, under Conductor Frederico Gerling.

Combining the search for fresh, new and innovative music with a deep commitment to tradition, Calum Stewart was raised on traditional music in his native Morayshire.

Emerging as a leading instrumentalist in contemporary European folk and world music, he is establishing his unique style along the way, the sound of his Wooden Flute being fundamental to this.

“It is possible to play a wooden flute with youthful exuberance and virtuosity at the same time? It seems it is!” Folker! Magazine

"Stewart's determination to take the flute out of its sonic tram-lines is the main feature of his debut album – a showcase of assertive technique and imaginative instrumental interplay." Norman Chalmers, The Scotsman
"Calum is a musician who manages to combine the search for fresh, new and innovative music with a deep commitment to tradition." Rab Adams

Evading time zones to play hide and seek with multiple natures: Traditional roots re-surfacing, with a rich sound that will capture your imagination.