Programme - 7 November 2008

Louisa Turner (soprano)

Louise graduated from Royal Holloway University of London as a Bachelor of Music in 1993. Since then she has continued her studies with Linda Esther Gray and Elizabeth Gale. She has sung with various opera companies in the UK and in 2001 she toured with London City Opera across the USA in their production of Carmen. Operatic roles include Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Valencienne (The Merry Widow) Frasquita (Carmen) Papagena (The Magic Flute). Maria (West Side Story) and Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro). She has performed widely in concerts as soloist with several orchestras and choral societies in the UK and in Spain, and appears regularly in recitals.

Mary Harris (cello)

After graduating from the Royal College of Music, where she studied with Harvey Philips, Mary embarked on a highly successful teaching career in Hertfordshire. Bringing up a family caused a change of direction, and she has since been in constant demand as a teacher of 'cello and piano. She has been heavily involved in orchestral and chamber music groups all her professional life, both as a pianist and as a 'cellist. She was co-founder of the Bridgewater Band (Symphony Orchestra) and has played for symphony and chamber orchestras as well as for the Bach Choir orchestra in Madrid. As cellist with the Serenata and Cantello ensembles, Mary has performed at prestigious venues throughout the UK and in Spain and Germany.

Adrian Davis (harpsichord)

Adrian trained as an organist and composer at the Guildhall School of Music, London with Edmund Rubbra and Nicholas Danby. His musical career began in South Devon as Director of Music in a grammar school. He moved on to Berkhamsted School as Director of Music, a post he held for 25 years. He left there to become a freelance musician - as conductor of the Bridgewater Band, the Chiltern Chamber Choir and Director of Music at St. Peter's, Berkhamsted. His work as a conductor and harpsichordist has taken him too many cathedrals and major concert halls throughout Europe as well as other parts of the world. He has been guest conductor or the Bach Choir of Madrid and the Gewandhauschor in Leipzig. When not playing or conducting Adrian spends much of the time teaching, composing and examining for the ABRSM.

Hazel Todd (oboe)

Hazel studied at the Royal College of Music with Sidney Sutcliffe, and subsequently with Malcolm Messiter and Celia Nicklin. She has performed in a great variety of orchestras and chamber groups as well as giving recitals and concerto performances in the UK and overseas. Hazel currently plays regularly in the Trio Doles, Chamberhouse Wind, Thames Consort, the Bridgewater Band and West Forest Sinfonia of which she is also orchestral manager. She also does much freelance work and teaches the oboe in a number of schools