I am a professional freelance viola player who graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama with a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance. I studied viola with Martin Humbey (Academy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields), previously learning violin with Lucy Gould (Gould Piano Trio) and John Stein (former Leader of Welsh National Opera).
Having played in string quartets since 1998, I have a wealth of experience in playing chamber music and performing in that forum for concerts, weddings and functions. I am a passionate chamber musician and have performed in numerous recitals with the Bath Spa String Quartet including performances for Bath Festivals and Rode Chamber Music Society. In chamber music roles, I have been privileged to receive coaching from some of the world’s finest musicians including the Gould Piano Trio, as well as the Skampa, Chilingirian, Kuss, and Maggini String Quartets. As a viola player I have performed chamber music with Jitka Vlasankova, Corinna Belcea, Nick Stringfellow, James Dickenson, Dan Shilladay, Simon Chalk and Nick Roberts.
Having played in string quartets since 1998, I have a wealth of experience in playing chamber music and performing in that forum for concerts, weddings and functions. I am a passionate chamber musician and have performed in numerous recitals with the Bath Spa String Quartet including performances for Bath Festivals and Rode Chamber Music Society. In chamber music roles, I have been privileged to receive coaching from some of the world’s finest musicians including the Gould Piano Trio, as well as the Skampa, Chilingirian, Kuss, and Maggini String Quartets. As a viola player I have performed chamber music with Jitka Vlasankova, Corinna Belcea, Nick Stringfellow, James Dickenson, Dan Shilladay, Simon Chalk and Nick Roberts.
“Michelle's playing is distinctive for her great sense of beautiful tone as well as for technical perfection. From the very beginning I understood that Michelle was a musician I would be happy to play with. She had all the prerequisites for being an excellent chamber musician. She is not only highly experienced, devoted and susceptible as a chamber music player herself but her bright observations, comments and ideas have always been most helpful in the creative process of chamber music making. …I appreciate her ability to hearken to musical colleagues which is essential for any good chamber musician.”
Jitka Vlašánková, Martinu Quartet
I have performed viola sonatas by Brahms, Shostakovitch, Martinu and Bax in masterclasses with Martin Outram, Garfield Jackson, Suzy Meszaros and Yuko Inoue and in 2011 I was the only solo viola player to be selected to perform in one of the LDSM Artists Concerts at Grasmere as part of the Lake District Summer Music Festival. I have also performed as a duo with pianists Olga Paliy, David Price and Maria Garcia, giving solo recitals at venues in the South-West.
Session work has involved recording for Roger Bolton, Toby McLaren and Howard Davidson, including recording the solo viola parts for the BBC2 documentary on the ‘Dambusters’.
Orchestral & Chamber Playing
I have extensive experience in playing for string quartets, choral societies, theatre groups and orchestras in both paid and voluntary roles, as Principal Viola, Guest Leader and rank and file positions. I have played for multiple tours with London Arte Chamber Orchestra to China, as well as tours across Europe with Theatrical Adventures Orchestra and Hampshire Sinfonietta.
Professional Work |
Amateur & Semi-Professional Work |
London Arte Chamber Orchestra – No.2 |
Bath Philharmonia |
Theatrical Adventures Orchestra - Principal |
Rehearsal Orchestra |
Bristol Ensemble |
Bath Symphony Orchestra - Sub-Principal Viola |
Southern Sinfonia |
Bath Concertino – Principal Viola |
English Symphony Orchestra |
London Repertoire Orchestra |
Welsh Session Orchestra |
RWCMD Symphony Orchestra |
British Sinfonietta |
Oadby & Wigston Civic Orchestra – Principal Viola & Guest Leader |
Bath Baroque – period instruments |
Hampshire Sinfonietta |
Three Spires Choir & Orchestra |
East London Sinfonia |
Bath Spa String Quartet |
Southampton Youth Orchestra |
Southampton String Quartet |
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Primavera String Quartet |
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Chordae Fontium String Quartet |
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