The Players of the Northern Chamber Orchestra

The members of the Northern Chamber Orchestra are distinguished chamber musicians who regularly appear as soloists in their own right.

VIOLIN

Simon Gilks is a white man with short brown hair. He is playing the violin during a concert and wearing a black suit jacket and black shirt.

Simon Gilks

Simon Gilks started playing the violin at the age of three and quickly progressed through the Suzuki discipline of violin playing.

Louise Latham | Violin

Louise Latham

Louise Latham studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, gaining a teaching diploma with distinction and a performing diploma and she was awarded the Hiles Gold Medal for orchestral playing.

Sarah Whittingham | Violin

Sarah Whittingham

Sarah Whittingham is an in demand violinist and educator working mainly in and around Manchester.

Rebecca Thompson | Violin

Rebecca Thompson

Rebecca Thompson was inspired to play by Nancy Elderkin, her Granny, who played the violin in the local cinema orchestra in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

Viola

Michael Dale | Viola

Michael Dale

Michael Dale has enjoyed a very varied career since coming to Manchester to spend a ‘brief’ period with the Hallé.

Cello

Jennifer Langridge, cello

Jennifer Langridge

Jennifer Langridge lives in Manchester, she studied at the Royal Northern College of Music where she was awarded the Barbirolli Prize for Cello. She went on to become a Junior Fellow of the RNCM as part of the Nossek String Quartet.

Barbara Grunthal | Cello

Barbara Grunthal

Barbara Grunthal was a pupil at Chetham’s before going to the RNCM where scholarships from the Guinness Foundation and the Royal Society of Arts enabled her to continue her studies.

Bass

James Manson | Double Bass

James Manson

James Manson started playing the double bass at age 14, and he went on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music with Duncan McTier, where he won the Eugene Cruft double bass prize.

Flute

Conrad Marshall | Flute

Conrad Marshall

Conrad Marshall studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Roger Rostron and Trevor Wye.

Nichola Hunter | Flute

Nichola Hunter

Nichola Hunter was born in Southport, Lancashire and started her musical studies at Chethams School of Music, Manchester, initially playing the oboe before changing to flute.

Oboe

Kenny Sturgeon

Kenny Sturgeon started playing the oboe aged 15 and studied privately with Ruth Davies and Jonathan Small before accepting a scholarship to study with Stéphane Rancourt and Rosie Staniforth at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

Jane Evans

Jane Evans studied at the Royal College of Music, where she was awarded several scholarships and prizes.

Clarinet

Elizabeth Jordan | Clarinet

Elizabeth Jordan

Elizabeth Jordan studied at the Royal College of Music and then at the Royal Northern College of Music, assisted by a Countess of Munster scholarship.

Daniel Bayley | Clarinet

Daniel Bayley

Originally from Hull, Daniel Bayley studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Flemish Conservatoire Antwerp, Belgium.

Bassoon

Ben Hudson playing the bassoon during a concert. Ben is a white man with a bald head and he is wearing a black tie outfit with a white shirt.

Ben Hudson

Ben Hudson is a former BBC Young Musician of the Year Concerto finalist, principal bassoon at Manchester Camerata and chamber musician.

Rachel Whibley | Bassoon

Rachel Whibley

Rachel Whibley is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, and has worked extensively with many of the top UK orchestras.

Horn

Naomi Atherton | Horn

Naomi Atherton

Ever since Naomi Atherton won the Brass final of Young Musician of the Year in 1984, she has been in constant demand as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral member.

Jenny Cox

Jenny Cox began learning the Horn at the age of 11 before continuing her studies at the RNCM with Lindsey Stoker, Bob Ashworth and Beccy Goldberg.

Trumpet

Tracey Redfern | Horn

Tracey Redfern

Tracey Redfern was born in Stirling, Scotland, and began her musical education at the Music School of Douglas Academy in Milngavie, Glasgow.  In 1997 she graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music with a Postgraduate Diploma, Bmus (Hons) and a Professional Performers Diploma with Merit.

Peter Mainwaring

Peter Mainwaring, originally from Llanelli, South Wales, started playing the trumpet and cornet at the age of 9. He joined his local brass band, Burry Port Town Band and then became a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and National Youth Brass Band of Wales, as Principal Cornet. He enjoys a busy and varied freelance career on the Trumpet and has toured extensively in Europe, the Middle and Far East.

Timpani

John Melbourne | Timpani

John Melbourne

John Melbourne is the principal timpanist of the NCO.  He is also principal percussion of the Northern Ballet and Manchester Concert Orchestra.