Erin Vinter  is a violist from Nottingham, currently about to start her third year of the BMus (Hons) course at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where she studies Viola with Lucy Nolan. She is a keen chamber music and orchestral player and is also an ARCO South Africa teacher at RBC and Benedetti Foundation Ambassador for this calendar year.

Within RBC:

• Viola course to Cornwall with RBC violists (Feb 2023)
• Became an ARCO South Africa teacher (Since Sept 2022)
• Brahms sextet no.1 in B flat major coached by and performed with Bradley Creswick and Caroline Pether in the end-of-year Chamber Music Festival (June 2023)
• Always been lucky at RBC to have masterclasses from people such as Timothy Ridout, Thomas Riebl, Robin Ireland and many more
• Trip to France to work on chamber music with Nathaniel Vallois with RBC, RCM, and Purcell students.

Outside of RBC:

• Benedetti Foundation Ambassador (since Jan 2023)
• Soloist for the inaugural concert of the Trent Chamber Orchestra playing Romanze by Bruch (Jan 2023)
• Playing around the Midlands in the International Film

Hannah Borlase is about to begin a two year masters at the RNCM. She had the privilege of completing the GRNCM/MusB joint course across the University of Manchester and RNCM. She has been studying under Lucy Nolan and looks forward to continuing to learn with her and begin lessons with Alex Mitchell.

Recently at RNCM our annual Viola Prize competition took place. It was amazing to hear renditions of Hindemith Sonata Op. 25 No. 1, Brahms Viola Sonata No. 1 Op. 120, and Franck’s Sonata in A Major for Violin & Piano arr. for Viola. The performances were energetic, commanding with well-crafted viola sounds - a real treat!! It was also exciting to welcome Louise Lansdown to adjudicate who will be joining us as Assistant Head of Strings in September. Earlier in the year we were able to have a couple of viola masterclasses with Robin Ireland and Lucy Nolan.

Summer Brook is currently studying the viola at the Royal College of Music, with professors Andriy Viytovych and Bryony Gibson-cornish and is a BMus(Hons) programme, Royal College of Music, Hilary Fabian & Geoffrey Dellar award holder, supported by Mrs Geraty.

Summer began playing in ensembles at her local music centres in South Devon. At the age of 12 yrs, Summer gained a scholarship funded by The DfE to study at Wells Cathedral School as a specialist musician, where she studied viola with Catherine Lord. During this time highlights included performing at The Royal Scottish Conservatoire as part of their “Beethoven quartets'' series; masterclasses with The Endellion Quartet, Phillip Dukes, Becky Jones, Benny Kim, and Jonathan Barritt. Summer was a member of the National Youth Orchestra and played at The BBC Proms, and at The Konzerthaus Berlin, as part of ‘Young Euro Classic Festival 2019’. Alongside this she was engaged as part of ‘Dartington Festival Orchestra’. In 2020 she was awarded the Yfrah Neaman cup for ‘an outstanding string player’ and in 2021 the ‘Jacob Rowland memorial trophy’.

During her time at RCM, Summer has been principal Viola of the RCM string band, performed at St Paul's Cathedral; played as part of the RCM philharmonic orchestra, performed with her piano quintet at St Mary’s Abbot Church Kensington, played alongside the Sacconi Quartet and the Harlem Quartet. And has had the opportunity to work with conductors such as Martyn Brabbins, Vasily Petrenko and Sakari Oramo. Additionally, Summer has acted as a young ambassador for the Nicola Benedetti Foundation, and worked with NYO, including playing at The DfE Education World Forum and at The PRS tenth-anniversary New Music Biennial concert. Summer also performed a concert of solo and duet repertoire at Budleigh music festival 2022. As well as travelling to Poland to be a part of the ‘Szczecin Classic’ course and festival.

Constance Clare Hayward was born in London in 2004. She is a full scholarship student at the Royal Academy of Music 2023-27 and is a recipient of the prestigious Sir Elton John Award, studying with Martin Outram, Lionel Tertis Professor of Viola.

Constance previously attended the The Glasshouse International Centre for Music where she studied at the Centre for Advanced Training with Chrissie Slater. There Constance was principal viola of Young Sinfonia tutored by members of the Royal Northern Sinfonia. She was involved in the debut of new works by composers Anna Appleby and Paul Edis, and in July 2023, she was awarded a final recital performance of the Hoffmeister D Major Viola Concerto in Hall One.

Constance’s accolades include receiving the William E. Bigge Award from ABRSM for her outstanding examination results, along with solo and ensemble prizes at the Wansbeck and North London Music Festivals. Her passion for orchestral music led her to serve as principal viola for the English Schools Orchestra, performing works by Bernstein, Shostakovich, and Milhaud with soloist Jess Gillam in a sold-out concert at St John’s Smith Square in 2021. She also held the position of string leader for the National Youth Orchestra during the 2022/23 season, contributing to their concert programming, charity initiatives and engaging with composers. She performed with the Academy Symphony Orchestra in her first term under Edward Gardner in December 2023.

As a chamber musician, Constance was invited to play alongside Royal Northern Sinfonia musicians in a chamber performance of Bruckner’s Mass in D and Handel’s Messiah with Ryton Choral Society in 2022. She is also a member of the Idalia Quartet, mentored by Alex Redington from the Doric String Quartet and selected for the Advanced Specialist String Ensemble Training Scheme at the Academy.

Constance has a strong affinity for contemporary music having premiered Steve Goss’ “Wynwood Walls” Guitar Quintet and recently making her debut with the Academy Manson Ensemble under Timothy Weiss, performing the world premiere of “Substrata” by Andrea Balency-Béarn and the UK premiere of “Abracadabra (Suncatchers)” for 11 virtuosi by Augusta Read Thomas at Duke’s Hall.

Other venues Constance has performed at include the Royal Albert Hall, The Barbican, Saffron Hall, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, The Royal Festival Hall, Warwick Arts Centre, The Bridgewater Hall Manchester and Birmingham Symphony Hall.

Constance can be heard on:

The Lake Poets: Live at the Sage featuring YMP Strings (EP)

Constance plays an Andrea Pontedoro viola kindly donated by Edward Roberts.

 

 

Rebekah Choi is a Chinese-English Violist, based in Battle, East Sussex, and is currently pursuing her master's at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) under Duncan Ferguson. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in music from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD), where she received a scholarship to study with Dorothea Vogel.

At RWCMD, Rebekah performed with various orchestras, including the Odyssey Festival Orchestra, Chineke! Juniors, Cardiff Chamber Orchestra, and the Welsh National Opera through a side-by-side orchestral project.

In addition to her performance work, Rebekah manages concerts for two quartets: the Juno Quartet and the Ilex Quartet, which has served as the string quartet in residence for Royal Welsh Weddings since 2022. Her recent management experience includes organising a concert at the Royal Welsh, featuring works by Ridout and Beethoven.

Rebekah also has a strong background in one-on-one teaching and has collaborated with Swansea Music Service on outreach initiatives. Currently, she is preparing for orchestral placements in Glasgow while continuing her work as a freelance violist.

Her viola is generously loaned to her by the Cherubim Music Trust.

Head shot by @Kuwafilm