Rachel is a freelance viola player who divides her time between modern and period performance. She received a scholarship to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and also studied at the Royal College of Music, London. She has performed with ensembles such as the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra amongst others, including performances at the BBC Proms, and concerts in the Palace of Versailles, France; Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman; and Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney.

Rachel has been a member of the orchestra in the Thursford Christmas Spectacular – Europe’s largest Christmas variety show – since 2013, totalling over 800 performances.

Rachel has a passion for period performance, and enjoys performing regularly with ensembles such as Norwich Baroque and Florilegium.

In 2023 Rachel curated a viola festival in collaboration with the Belfry Arts Centre, Overstrand, which included a solo recital in which she performed on 3 different instruments; baroque viola, classical viola and electric viola. She plays on a viola made for her by Norfolk based Dota Williams.

After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music, Ivan performed for twenty years with the Duke Quartet. They recorded for Factory Records, Collins Classics and Naxos and were voted ‘Best Newcomer of the Year’ at the Cannes Classical Music Awards. The Duke Quartet also toured with the award-winning European dance company Rosas and recorded and toured with bands including The Pretenders, Blur, The Cranberries and The Corrs. They were resident at Trinity College, Oxford, for many years.

In 2001 Ivan left the quartet to undertake other projects including a residency with the Swiss Theater St Gallen Dance Company, performing solo cello and vocals. In the following years he also toured with artists such as Pete Doherty.

Ivan also performs with his daughter, singer-songwriter and actor Ella McCready, as well as acclaimed musician and composer Bertie Anderson Haggart. Ivan is also a member of Fiasco! Quartet - a world music group.

Ivan was awarded the prestigious title of A.R.A.M. (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music), which is an accolade presented to alumni who have significantly contributed to and impacted the music profession. He plays on a cello made for him in 2001 by Kai-Thomas Roth.

https://www.ivanmccready.com/

Franziska studied at the Hochschule der Kuenste Berlin, Royal Northern College of Music and Royal College of Music London with Prof Tomaszewski and Yossi Zivoni.

She was a winner of Norfolk’s Young Musician, and Jugendmusiziert Berlin, which lead to several solo recitals in Poland, Germany and the UK. Fran received scholarships to the Julius Stern Institut Berlin, Royal Northern College of Music and Royal College of Music, London.

Franziska enjoyed a varied freelance career including solo and chamber music recitals as well as playing and touring with world-renowned orchestras such as the BBC Symphony, Royal Opera House and Philharmonia Orchestra. She also enjoyed film session work which included “Thor, the dark world”, “The Mummy”, and part of the BBC “Planet Earth” series. The BBC Proms and BBC 2 “Friday Night is Music Night” were also regular engagements she much enjoyed.

She now lives in Norfolk with her young family and would like to pursue her interest in primary music education. She recently gained her British Kodaly primary level one certificate with distinction and is enjoying bringing music to primary schools.

Rebeccca’s parents, three aunts and an uncle were professional musicians, so there was very little chance to escape music. Rebecca began playing violin very young, studying with her Mum, ita Herbert, Sheila Nelson then Yossi Zivoni at the Royal Northern College of Music. Off to the US in her 20’s, thanks to a Fleming Trust scholarship to study with Shmuel Ashkenasi and the Vermeer quartet at NIU and with Mark Zinger at De Paul University in Chicago.

Rebecca became a busy freelancer in Chicago and toured with Chamber Blues and Corky Siegel. Over three years they performed at numerous music classical and jazz venues. She also backed Led Zeplin, The Who and Moody Blues.

Returning to London in 1991, Rebecca freelanced in the LSO, the Philharmonia and the RPO, and is still a member of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, City of London Sinfonia and the Orchestra of St John's.

Rebecca also started teaching whilst still at college and has taught violin and viola ever since.

Jim studied baroque violin and viola at the Royal Acadamy of Music with Mica Comberti and Catherine McGillivray.

He had regularly directed Norwich Baroque from the violin, although these days is more often found on the viola, playing and recording for groups such as the Academy of Ancient Music, La Serenissima, and La Nuova Musica.

A keen folk fiddler, Jim often plays for ceilidh dances, and he has given folk fiddle workshops at various festivals and music schools including our local Folk East. He also teaches at Norwich School, Langley School, and at home in Pakefield.

Tom was born in Norfolk but now lives in Surrey. After graduating from the Royal College of Music in 2006, Tom has enjoyed an exciting and varied career. As a soloist and recitalist he has appeared all over the UK, France and Italy. On the orchestral scene he’s performed with Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia and Royal Northern Sinfonia amongst others. Chamber music is where Tom’s heart really lies.

As 1st violin of the Billroth Quartet, Tom surveyed a great deal of chamber music. Billroth held a residency at Lauderdale House (Highgate, London) and performed for many music societies in the UK, China and appeared on TV multiple times (Dave Gorman; Modern life is goodish).

Since 2021 the majority of Tom’s career has centred around musical theatre, including Joseph and his Technicolour Dream Coat, Carousel, Amelie, Phantom of the Opera and Titanic the Musical. This summerTom played in Cameron Mackintosh’s highly acclaimed production of Oliver! at Chichester Festival Theatre. For this he plays Violin, Viola, mandolin and appears on stage with the cast. The production moves to the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End in December 2024.