Simon Atkins
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Simon Atkins - trained at Goldsmiths’ College and is a freelance composer and performer. He works for Trinity College of Music as community musician, workshop facilitator and composer, and teaches improvisation at City Lit. College. He plays with various jazz groups.
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Paul Bartholomew
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Paul Bartholomew (M.Mus) - has musical interests “too wide for his own safety” (from Beethoven to Charlie Mingus) and has performed with artists including Sting, BB King, Barry White, Eric Clapton, Dr.John, Kylie Minogue, Lemmy (of Motorhead fame) and Chaka Khan.
As an MD he has worked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Terry Riley, numerous choirs and big bands and for ten years toured with Jools Holland as Baritone Sax player and arranger. Projects in 2003/4 included The Big Band Music of Tito Puente, Music Walk by John Cage, Deconstructing Beethoven and English Music Hall. He has composed for film, TV and contemporary dance, has performed on and arranged for all the Major TV channels and runs Mbawula, a multicultural ensemble fusing South African Song and European Big Band Jazz. He has taught at every level from beginner’s workshops to post-graduate composition at Universities and Conservatoires. Aside from freelance work he teaches Arranging and Musical Direction and on the Professional Skills Programme at Trinity College Of Music.
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Paul Medina
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Cert. Ed - became interested in jazz at an early age via his brother’s record collection. As a teenager, he played with John Mayall of Bluesbreakers fame while both were at Manchester College of Art and over the years, has performed with musicians such as Roy Williams and Digby Fairweather. For several
years, Paul was MD of Stockport Schools Stagesound 2, a youth, jazz- orientated big band which worked with Georgie Fame, Don Lusher and Ronnie Scott. While he was Head of Music at a Manchester secondary school, he ran a series of Jazz Workshops at the Hayfield Jazz Festival. Paul’s passion for jazz is wide ranging and can be heard on different days playing in piano trios, traditional jazz bands, modern jazz ensem- bles and big bands.
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Helen Purton
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Helen Purton - Helen is a graduate of the University of Manchester where she read music. Helen then completed a two year teaching course at the RNCM, combining performance with the study of the Dalcroze and Kodaly methods and classroom teaching. Currently a student at the Royal Academy of Music, Helen hopes to go on to combine teaching with being a violist.
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Helen Dawson
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Helen Dawson - Helen studied cello at the Royal Academy of Music and at the RNCM, where she also followed a course in string teaching and Dalcroze Eurhythmics. She now combines cello teaching and string ensemble coaching with work as a freelance cellist. Helen performs regularly with the string chamber group The Devonshire Players.
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Judi Kelly
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Judi Kelly - graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she also attended for her Post Graduate Advanced Course in Accompaniment. Since her first love is playing for singers she has spent much of her time accompanying singing lessons, local recitals and as rehearsal pianist for Choirs and Amateur Operatic Societies. She has held that post for Hemel Hempstead Theatre Company for the last 17 years! Judi spends most of her time teaching piano privately and in Primary Schools where she also teaches Choirs and recorder.
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Dave Payn
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Born in Lewisham, SE London in 1963, Dave started learning the trumpet at age 11, studying at school under former Ted Heath Band member Clifford Haines, and a founder member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Richard Walton at the Royal College of Music. He ‘discovered’ brass bands in 1979 and along with his trumpet work, has been actively involved in brass bands ever since, as both player and conductor. In October 2004 he upped sticks from London and now resides in the beautiful Isle of Arran where he runs his own brass quintet (The Arran Brass Monkeys) and conducts the local brass band, Arran Brass. Last year he was appointed Musical Director for the Arran Music and Drama Society.
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Aidan Broadbridge
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Aidan Broadbridge - began playing violin and piano at the age of seven. He started playing folk music at an early age and spent two years studying music in a Swedish high school before moving to London to attend Trinity College of Music. After receiving his degree, he played for numerous musicals and orchestras in and around London. Aidan currently travels throughout the UK performing, teaching and directing. Aidan also plays fiddle in two folk dance bands - one of which he leads.
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Louisa Ridgway
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Louisa Ridgway - A player of many instruments, Louisa has been playing the piano since the age of 3 and studied piano at Trinity College of Music (B.Mus (TCM)) in London under Roger Green. She then studied singing at TCM under Peter Knapp for a year before entering the proper world of music! She works as a freelance accompanist and particularly enjoys playing for singers and shows. Her current ambition is to play for shows in the West End.
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Virginia Rushton
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Virginia Rushton - trained as a singer in London with Laura Sarti, Morag Noble and Paul Hamburger. She has had extensive experience as an oratorio, chamber music, opera and recital singer in Ireland, the Netherlands, Israel, Canada, and throughout the UK. She is a very successful teacher and specialises in working with adults; she directs the “Second Chance Choir” for adult beginner singers in Blackheath, south-east London. In 2004, Virginia founded OPERAHOUSE Music Projects, an educational charity which designs and runs opera and musical theatre projects for schools and community groups. The “Brushwork” opera for this summer school has grown out of her project collaborations with OPERAHOUSE and the City of London Corporation.
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Tom Atherton
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Although a reasonably late starter to the wonderful world of drums (starting at age 13), Tom soon made up for lost time with a near obsessive level of commitment to the instrument. He began with drum kit lessons through professional teacher (and much sought after player) Mike Grigg. Within a year he had formed his first [gritty] rock band and quickly became adept at taking the lead within the creative environment. Tom later decided to broaden his percussive palette by entering into the world of the orchestra, firstly focusing on snare and bass drum with timpani and tuned soon following.
Today, Tom plays in several orchestras, wind bands, brass bands, jazz bands and theatre pit bands, as well as regularly blasting with prog rock/ metal band Carpathia (featured in UK rock magazine “Metal Hammer“). He has a keen interest in ’zanier’ musical styles and has taken part in free improvisation ensembles as well as Dadaist performances and ’junk’ percussion. In addition, he composes and arranges. He also teaches privately, as well as for Warwickshire County Music Service. Tom is delighted to be involved with M4P again this year and is eager to build upon last year’s successes.
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Robin Garside
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Robin Garside - is a professional folk singer and musician playing guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo. In the folk clubs and festivals Robin mainly plays traditional material along with some of his own songs and tunes. He is the leader and musical arranger of the Sheffield Traditional Fiddlers Society, he has led the Whitby Folk Festival Orchestra for several years and has taught on the ‘Tender Roots’ program to introduce young people to folk music. Robin also plays in the Rhythm Chaps ceilidh band, with folk legend John Conolly and Monkeys Orphan sea song and shanty group. He has been known to knock out jazz and blues whenever the fancy takes him.
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Nicola Long
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Nicola Long - studied with John Cushing at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. Whilst there she enjoyed a high profile career performing regularly as an orchestral, solo and chamber musician and representing the Academy at many
festivals, commercial recordings, master classes and competitions. In her last year she won the Governor’s Competition Prize for Chamber Music and was awarded the Mary D. Hammond Prize for Excellence in Chamber Music.
She successfully auditioned for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's apprenticeship's position and was specially selected to perform with the London Sinfonietta during their last RSAMD concert series. She has also recently enjoyed playing with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Bryn Terfel.
Although in demand as a soloist, chamber music remains at the heart of her career; she plays and records regularly with the Scottish Clarinet Quartet and is a founder member of the Scottish Chamber Music Players and the Auricle Ensemble. Nicola is particularly dedicated to the musical education of children and is an advocate of the Kodály principles.
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Simon Dawson
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Simon has been playing the Cornet for over 30 years. For the last 20
years he has played Cornet, Soprano Cornet and Flugelhorn with a
number of brass bands in the London area. He regularly guests with
London bands at concerts and some contests. He played principal
cornet with Waltham Forest Co-op Band for 7 years and up until
recently was the Soprano Cornet player with the Fulham Brass Band, a position he held for 5 years.
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Graham Tear
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Graham Tear - works for Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts, directs Northampton Symphony Orchestra, Northampton Chamber Orchestra, Northampton County Youth Orchestra and has conducted most county bands and orchestras over the years. He has directed various amateur operatic groups, brass bands and was chorus master for Central Festival Opera. His assorted ensembles are regular prize winners and visitors at the School’s Proms and the National Festival of Music for Youth at the South Bank. He directed WMA brass and wind band courses for 8 years and was on the conducting staff of the European Youth Summer Music Course
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Laura Zakian
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Laura - Completing her degree at Middlesex University and studying in New York with Nancy Marano from the Manhattan School of Music, Laura launched her career in Italy, performing with leading jazz musicians in Rome and appearing at the Umbria Jazz Festival. Laura is a highly regarded teacher of jazz and popular singing and has a flourishing private practice. Although specializing in Jazz, Laura has studied with some of the top vocal teachers nationally and internationally giving her an indepth understanding
of the techniques applicable to many vocal styles. As a member of the British Voice Association Laura has experience of working with top laryngologists, speech therapists, osteopaths and physiotherapists all
working in the field of vocal health. She is a vocal tutor on the Jazz Faculty at Trinity College of Music and a visiting vocal tutor on the Popular Music Studies course at Goldsmiths College University of London. She regularly runs vocal clinics and master classes and also runs Jazz vocal workshops at the City Lit and Morley College.
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Brendan J Rayner
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After a successful first year in ‘08, Brendan is returning to M4P this year to deliver hand-drumming and percussion mentorship. Brendan is an experienced and respected drummer and percussionist, playing at the highest levels of Brass Band music with an enviable track record in band and orchestral percussion. A tutor at DRUMCABIN.COM, Brendan shares his time between working as a drum teacher and as drummer with (amongst many others) Celtic Rock giant Joe O’Donnell’s’ SHKYLA and popular function band THE BIG EASY. Brendan has now taken over Drumcabin’s’ Samba into Schools, delivering the Drumcabin system of group music learning into inner-city schools.
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Mike Nichols
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played trumpet at school but was sacked from the school orchestra for wanting to play jazz and forced to hand his trumpet back. After various engineering jobs Mike returned to the trumpet at age 27 and soon became a well known figure on the local jazz club and big band circuit in Taunton and Exeter. A post graduate course at the Guildhall School of Music in London led to touring theatre work, musical shows, cruise work and appear- ances with various groups covering a multitude of styles from Reggae to Traditional Jazz. Mike now plays regularly for a number of ensembles and is happy to play anything musical.
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Chris Lee
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Chris - started his musical career as a classical pianist, having trained at the Royal College of Music, London, in the late 1970s. Over the next few years, his musical interests broadened in the direction of jazz, and they now include composition and arranging. As a classical/crossover player, he has performed under the baton of Brian Kay (Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue), John Rutter (his Birthday Madrigals), Ivor Setterfield (Mozart’s piano concertos K488 and K537 in London and in Prague’s Rudolfinum concert hall) and Hilary Davan Wetton (Mozart’s piano concerto K503). And works regularly as an accompanist and continuo player, most notably with Barts Choral Society. As a jazz player, he has performed at London venues such as the 606 club, Pizza on the Park and the Barbican Foyer. enjoying working with singers and my collaborations include Marcina Arnold, Anton Browne, Clare Foster, Jenny Howe, Janet Penfold and Kaz Simmons.
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Daniel Browell
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Daniel Browell has given recitals in the U.K, France, Sweden, Norway and the U.S., most recently receiv- ing acclaim in the national press for his London South Bank recital in the Purcell Room and his debut this year at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hallin a concerto performance. Daniel made his BBC Proms debut in 2008, as part of a composer portrait broadcast live on radio 3. Since studying in Birming- ham, U.K. for his undergraduate degree, Daniel has been lucky enough to study in Paris, London and Chicago. In London whilst studying at the Royal Academy of Music with Colin Stone, he received the E M George award, and in 2004 was a prizewinner of the British Music Society Piano Awards. In 2006-7 Daniel became a Park Lane Group Young Artist. Last year he was appointed the Leverhulme Junior Fellow in piano at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he won both the concerto prize and the recital prize. In addition to a busy recital schedule, Daniel enjoys chamber music and teaching.
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