• Mary Barber

Mary started learning the violin in Leeds when she was eight years old, achieving Grade 8 when she was 15. She led the Leeds Youth Orchestra for two years, and has performed in a number of orchestras and chamber groups since then. She is a prominent musician in West Yorkshire, currently leading several orchestras (the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of Square Chapel and the Valley Sinfonia) and freelances for several other classical music groups. She also plays folk fiddle in two ceilidh bands, and has recorded a number of CDs with them.

 

• Maggie Andrews

Maggie took up the piano aged six, then the violin when she was eight. At the age of 13 she won a scholarship to attend the Royal College of Music Junior Department. Whilst at school, she played with the East Sussex County Youth Orchestra, touring Paris and Germany, and performed in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She is currently Principal second violin with both Huddersfield Philharmonic and Orchestra of Square Chapel.

 

 

• Becky Mellings

Becky began playing the violin in New York at the age of six. She later went on to study at Huddersfield University, followed by York University and finally Bretton Hall College, Leeds. At 24 years she began studying the viola. She spends her life now as a freelance musician and a teacher of music.

 

 

 

 

• Alison Glendinning

Alison was born in Huddersfield and studied cello at Chethams school of music, the Royal College in London and at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. She has worked as a freelance musician in various orchestras and ensembles around the UK and now concentrates on playing in small groups for special occasions.