Marie Lloyd
Marie Lloyd has been a member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe since 2001 and has worked prolifically with musicians such as Sir Bernard Haitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Sir András Schiff, Sir Simon Rattle, Mitsuko Uchida and Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Also, as a member of the Wind Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, she took part in the Centenary celebration concert at the Wigmore Hall.
Marie had taught for many years at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy and at Wells Cathedral Music School before becoming Head of Woodwind at the Royal College of Music.
She is a highly experienced and in demand as a coach for both adults and children, working with large scale clarinet groups, giving masterclasses and also hosting discussions on clarinet technique and chamber coaching. Marie has also worked closely with the Peninsula Clarinet Choir based in Torbay.
Marie plays regularly as guest principal with the vast majority of UK orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Manchester Camerata
Marie has a love of chamber music, performing with the The Nash Ensemble (including the World Premiere of Van Gogh Blue by Julian Anderson), London Sinfonietta and Gaudier Ensemble. She has recently recorded with the Continuum Ensemble including the trio Netsuke by Ken Hesketh, and also performed The Sins by Sally Beamish at the Cheltenham Festival with Red Note Ensemble. Marie is a member of the Arnold Trio and the New Street Ensemble, Wells.
She has recorded a selection of the grade 6/7 repertoire for the ABRSM and can be heard on films and TV programmes such as The Woman in Gold and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
Chris Caldwell
Chris studied saxophone at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Sir Thomas Beecham’s favourite bass clarinettist, Stephen Trier, from 1983-86. In his first year at college he joined the Delta Saxophone Quartet which celebrates its 40th anniversary of creative music making in 2023-24.
Chris has managed to build a diverse musical freelance portfolio career since his graduation. He has toured Internationally, often with the support of the British Council in Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine, China, and extensively in Europe. His contemporary music performing skills has seen him perform in numerous leading ensembles including London Sinfonietta, BCMG, Steve Martland Band, Delta Saxophone Quartet, the Red Note Ensemble, Group S, London Saxophonic & The Michael Nyman Band.
He is a respected orchestral saxophonist and has toured the UK & overseas with the RPO, RSC, WNO, ROH, Ulster Orchestra, BSO, BBCSO, Britten Sinfonia & CBSO. Chris has performed at the BBC Proms including the last night, on numerous occasions with BBCSO, Britten Sinfonia, London Sinfonietta & The Mike Westbrook Orchestra. Other highlights include a concert at the Great Hall Salzburg Mozarteum with the CBSO under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, a performance in the Philharmonie Berlin with the BBCSO (John Adams – Nixon in China) and onstage with the Michael Nyman Band at the refurbished Teatro La Fenice in Venice.
Chris also enjoys being involved in more popular side of the music profession. He was part of the Dame Shirley Bassey Orchestra in the early 2000’s, memorable concerts include those in Istanbul, Beirut, Monaco, The Roundhouse London – BBC Electric Proms and an extraordinary performance in Giza where the backdrop included an incredible sunset accompanied by the iconic Egyptian monuments including the three Pyramids & The great Sphinx. He has performed at the Barbican, RAH, RFH, Saddlers Wells, ROH, Birmingham Symphony Hall, The Sage, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,The National Concert Hall in Cardiff, Bridgewater Hall, and the National Concert Hall in Dublin.
In 2019 Chris was part of the orchestra for the European leg of Hugh Jackman’s ‘The Greatest Showman’, world tour. He has been involved in albums recorded by Jools Holland, Mike Flowers, Elvis Costello, Mike Westbrook, Delta Saxophone Quartet, Dame Shirley Bassey, & Lorna Luft (daughter of Judy Garland). Chris is one of the saxophone members of the London Concert Orchestra which has provided the musicians for the Strictly Come Dancing duo Anton & Erin for their previous ten national UK tours.
Chris has worked with Susie Hodder-Williams since 2005 creating landscape/time descriptive music which has resulted in 7 album releases to date (six on the FMR label). His latest collaborative EP release was in March 2021 titled, Hemispheres which has already received radio play on the BBCR5, RTÉ, DevonStream and stations from Tokyo to Boston via Perth in Australia. Chris has worked in London’s West End on many musicals including Cats, Chicago, Me & My Girl, Les Miserables, Matilda, West Side Story, 42nd Street, Motown, Sweet Charity & Guys & Dolls. He enjoys working with the Devon based TV/Composer Paul Honey so you might hear his bass clarinet & soprano saxophone on CBeebies or in dispatches on the antiques roadshow!
Cara Doyle
Cara Doyle is a London based clarinetist who is classically trained but enjoys performing an eclectic range of repertoire.
She has just completed her Undergraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with a first class Honours degree and Concert Recital Diploma for exceptional performance in her final recital. During her time at the GSMD she has performed with the symphony and chamber orchestras as well as playing in many of the UBU ensemble concerts including Scelci’s Kya for clarinet and ensemble and Donatoni’s Bok with marimba player Richard Benjafield.
One of her most notable performances was for the BBC Total Immersions concert playing Anders Hilborj’s Duo for clarinet and violin, which was broadcasted a year later for BBC Radio 3 in February 2021. In 2019 Cara won the Guildhall clarinet competition and was a finalist of The Needlemakers Woodwind competition in 2020. Cara has had the privilege of playing in some of the great concert halls including the Barbican, The Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall with GSMDSO, LSSO and NCO. She held a recital in the Barbican foyer with pianist John Flinders in October 2020 and performed the Françaix trio with violist Matthew Jones and pianist Ke Ma in Milton Court concert hall in July 2021.
Throughout her degree she studied with James Burke, Andrew Webster and Andrew Mariner. She is also accomplished in the bass and Eb clarinet having been taught by Robert Ault and Jennifer Mclaren. Cara thoroughly enjoys working closely with composers on new works where she can explore extended techniques and push the boundaries of all her instruments. She has performed in the premieres of many works including Tom Carr’s clarinet concerto and Daniel Davis’ ensemble pieces, as well as many of the composers at Guildhall. Cara thoroughly enjoys the collaboration between different art forms, this includes her free improvisation/painting duo with artists Gina Southgate and her recent performance of Stockhausen’s Der Kleine Harlekin, which requires choreography, in her final recital in July 2021.
Cara started learning the clarinet with Hounslow Music service where she is now employed as the clarinet professor. She also teaches privately around London and enjoys leading group sessions and workshops. During her sixth form time, she studied with Marie Lloyd at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department where she performed repertoire such as Jӧrg Widmann’s Fantasy and Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time in The Dukes Hall. She will be staying at the Guildhall for the Masters Orchestral Artistry course in association with the LSO.
Rachael Chesney
Rachael born in Newcastle completed a Bachelor of Music degree in 2012 and then a Masters in Performance degree at the Royal College of Music in 2014. She studied clarinet with: Richard Hosford, Timothy Lines, Barnaby Robson and Janet Hilton.
Alongside clarinet lessons Rachael performed with a number of chamber ensembles. She performed Principal Clarinet with The RCM Philharmonic and RCM Symphony Orchestra including performing Mahler 7 conducted by Bernard Haitink. Rachael has participated in Master Classes with: Maximiliano Martin, Joy Farrall, Michael Whight, Mark Van Di Weil, Joan Enric Lluna, Chris Richards, Jozsef Balogh and Richard Stoltzman Rachael has given solo performances and chamber recitals around London and the North East. She performed principal clarinet with the Young Sinfonia at The Sage, Gateshead. Rachael was one of the first musicians to perform with her wind quintet in Hall One of The Sage Gateshead, which was televised on the BBC Culture Show.
Rachael recorded the Brahms Trio for a BBC Radio 2 programme presented by Howard Goodall.
Rachael was awarded scholarships from the Kathleen trust, Countess of Munster Trust, the Sammy Johnson foundation, the Douglas and Hilda Simmonds Award and was awarded an e flat clarinet from the Cheribum Trust.
After her studies, Rachael went on to teach woodwind for a number of music services and was the clarinet lecturer at Morley College teaching small classes of adults and directing the Morley Wind Ensemble.
Rachael then re-located to the Northeast where she became a woodwind teacher for Music Partnership North. She performed in a number of the New Generation Artists concert series, performing chamber music in Northshields, Seaton Delaval and Whitley Bay.
Rachael has also performed 2nd clarinet with Orchestra Northeast located in Durham.
During the summer of 2020 Rachael recorded the clarinet part in The Soldiers Return by Marcos Fernandez-Barrero. This was a unique Opera project to commemorate World War 1, the Opera was streamed online on remembrance Sunday by Opera Sunderland.
Anna Webster
Born in Liverpool, Anna is a recent Masters graduate of the Royal College of Music, having studied with Richard Hosford, Tim Lines, Janet Hilton, Peter Sparks and Barnaby Robson.
Anna’s musical journey began as a chorister in the Liverpool Metropolitan Girls’ Choir, later joining the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral as a choral scholar. Having played the clarinet in the Liverpool Youth Orchestra and Ensembles and learned with Janet Crossley, at the age of 15 Anna went on to study clarinet at the Junior RNCM with Anne McNaught. Anna was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra before going to study at the Royal College of Music.
During her studies at the RCM, Anna was a Wilkins-Mackerras scholar, winner of the RCM Solo Woodwind Competition and RCM Clarinet Prize and has been a runner-up in the RCM Concerto Competition. As a member of the RCM Symphony Orchestra, Anna has had the opportunity to work with conductors Vladimir Jurowski, Rafaele de Payere and Sir Antonio Pappano.
Since graduating Anna has performed with the Halle Orchestra and performed in chamber festivals and series around the UK. In 2020, Anna worked with musicians of the London Song Festival performing Argento’s To Be Sung Upon the Water and performing on BBC Radio 3. Anna has been a musician in residence of the Stamford International Music Festival and is looking forward to returning in 2022.
Anna has participated in festivals both at home and abroad including Voksenaasen Summer Festival, British Isles Music Festival and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute. In 2019, Anna was a fellow at the Music Academy of the West working with artists such as Claire Chase, Marin Alsop, Thomas Ades, Daniel Harding and the London Symphony Orchestra.
An enthusiastic educator, Anna is currently teaching at the Falcons School for Girls, the Halcyon London International School, Putney Music School, and has been teaching privately in London for the past 6 years.
The Bingham String Quartet
Steve Bingham – violin
Marina Gillam – violin
Brenda Stewart – viola
James Halsey – cello
The Bingham String Quartet has gained an international reputation for its interpretation of the classical repertoire and fresh and exciting approach to new music. It has toured extensively in the United Kingdom and also performed in Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. Regular appearances in London include concerts at the Purcell Room and St Martin in the Fields. The quartet has performed and recorded with many other notable musicians including clarinettist David Campbell, pianist Nigel Clayton and cellist Raphael Wallfisch. The Quartet’s education activities have included several residencies, a busy programme of visits to schools and music centres, and a variety of coaching courses. See the education page for more…
Amongst the Bingham String Quartet’s notable recordings are the middle period quartets of Elizabeth Maconchy, two CDs of the quartet’s own commissions from young British composers and a musical version of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” by Richard Allain, narrated by Richard Stilgoe. Several other albums are also available which include works by Shostakovich, Barber, Haydn and more. see the discography page for full details.
“The standard of performance by these stylish and highly gifted musicians was beyond all praise”
