MUSICIANS IN RESIDENCE
St John’s offers the Musicians-in-Residence scheme to encourage and develop talented young musicians, who offer their services free to the liturgical music programme of the church. In return for this, the church offers the use of its space for teaching and occasional concert work. Now in its eleventh year, this scheme provides mutual benefits to the church and the musicians. It is administered by the Director of Music. Professional musicians or ensembles interested in taking part in the scheme are encouraged to contact the Director of Music.
Devoted to promoting women in classical music, the Tailleferre Ensemble is a UK- based chamber collective founded by oboists Nicola Hands and Penelope Smith. Since its inception in 2019 the group has gone from strength to strength. The ensemble’s work encompasses diverse instrumentation, time periods, and genres, with a particular onus on promoting underrepresented and underappreciated works and composers, both historical and contemporary. Their playing has been praised for its ‘extensive palette of timbres’.
In February 2023 the ensemble released their debut album There are Things to be Said, which reviewers praised for their ‘superb musicianship’ and ‘effortless’ performance. Textura magazine celebrated it as an ‘exceptional debut’ on account of ‘the beauty and precision of the musicians’ playing and their sensitivity to dynamics.’ The ensemble has enjoyed airtime on radio stations across Europe and Canada, and is developing an ongoing relationship with BBC Radio 3. They are especially proud to have ongoing collaborations with numerous contemporary composers, many of whom have dedicated new works to them, including Ingrid Stölzel, Rhian Samuel, Sally Wave, Jonathan Heeley, and Dana Joras.
Recently the ensemble has performed at London’s Conway Hall and St. John’s Smith Square, and are repeat artists for the Nottingham Chamber Music Festival and Leatherhead Concert & Arts Society. They regularly perform in recital series around the UK, including at St. James Piccadilly, Aylesbury Lunchtime Concerts, Music-at-Hill, St. John’s ARC, and Brighton’s Chapel Royal. The ensemble has also collaborated with Façade Ensemble and the South Florida Chamber Ensemble.
Individual members’ own playing experience includes with orchestras such as Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Aurora Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Wexford Festival Opera orchestra and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, as well as venues such as the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, London Coliseum, Wilderness Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, National Portrait Gallery, and Wigmore Hall, and recording at Abbey Road Studios.
Orfeas String Quartet.
The Orfeas String Quartet was formed in 2004 by graduates of the Royal Academy and Trinity College of Music. In its initial stages the quartet worked intensively with Michael Bochmann and George Hadjinikos developing its own sounds and ethos. Always aspiring for beauty of line and unity, their sound is unique and has been highly praised. They have given numerous acclaimed performances of lesser known and new repertoire. They were formerly known as the Brunelleschi String Quartet.
Contact: Orpheus Papafilippou
Email: orpheusviolinist@googlemail.com
Phone: 07791 804 764