Yvonne Paterson, Flute

Yvonne was born in sunny Paisley, where, as the youngest of 3 children she decided to take up the flute after being subjected to her older siblings scraping away on violins! At the age of 10 she left Paisley to attend the Music School of Douglas Academy in Milngavie. From there she continued her musical adventures at the Royal College of Music in London before coming full circle to reside in Paisley and complete her studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

While Yvonne is renowned for her poor sense of direction, she has nonetheless managed to find some competitions to participate in. Due in part to her flute playing, but more to her wit and charm, Yvonne was a finalist in the 2009 Royal Over Seas League competition, won 2nd prize in the 2008 “Performing Australian Music Competition”, and was awarded outright the RSAMD Governors’ Chamber Music Prize, the John McGregor Flute Prize for outstanding achievement and the RSAMD Classical Concerto Competition. Yvonne should also mention and thank the Countess of Munster Musical Trust; Dewar Arts; the Earl of Dalhousie Trust; the EMI Music Sound Foundation; the Sir James Caird Travelling Trust and her parents as they have all provided financial assistance at some point in her life!

When Yvonne is not playing badminton or with her niece and nephews she earns a living by freelancing with orchestras including the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Northern Sinfonia, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Orchestra of Scottish Opera and the Orchestra of the Welsh National Orchestra.

Sarah Cruickshank, Oboe

Sarah graduated in 2010 from the Royal College of Music in London with a Master of Music in Advanced Performance. During her time at RCM she studied oboe and cor anglais with John Anderson, Chris Cowie, Christine Pendrill and Jane Marshall. Before studying in London Sarah graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2007 with BMus (Hons) and in 2008 with PGDipMus.

While studying with Stephen West and Rosie Staniforth at RSAMD she was awarded the Mary D Adams Prize for Chamber Music, the Euing Prize for History, Analysis and Form and was Highly Commended in both Classical Concerto and Governors Chamber Music Recital Competitions. She won places on apprenticeship schemes with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Scottish Opera and while at Royal College took part in a London Symphony Orchestra side-by-side scheme.

Sarah has performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra of Scottish Ballet and played for the EFT production of the Tony award winning musical 'The Secret Garden'.

As well as being a member of the Scottish Wind Ensemble, Sarah also plays with Quintet Zambra and the Arunda wind trio.

Catherine Earnshaw, Oboe

Cath, originally from Blackburn, Lancashire, where she bagen playing the oboe at the age of 9 with the appropriately titled 'March of the Ducks'. She then studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama under Stephen West and Stephane Rancourt. After graduating in 2001, she spent four months training with Diana Doherty and Antony Chesterman in Sydney, Australia before returning to Scotland and beginning work as a freelance oboist working with orchestras such as Scottish Opera , the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Manchester Camerata and the Lancashire Sinfonietta.

Cath is a member of the wind quintet Arctic Winds and is a founder member of the Scottish Reed Trio which was formed in 2008. She is also heavily involved with music education in Scotland, being appointed General Manager of Children’s Classic Concerts in 2010.

Cath's travels have also taken her to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, where she was relieved to discover that her twin phobias of frogs and polystyrene weren't an issue.

Nicola Turner, Clarinet

Nicola graduated in 2007 with a BMus(Hons) from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where she studied with Maximiliano Martin (principal clarinet, SCO) and Simon Butterworth (principal bass clarinet, BBCSSO). She then moved to London where she gained an MA (Distinction) from the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Tim Lines (former principal clarinet, LSO), Angela Malsbury (principal clarinet, London Mozart Players) and Richard Addison (former member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra). Nicola has since moved back to Edinburgh where she is enjoying a varied freelance career.

Nicola has always been a keen orchestral player and has performed with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the British Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Contemporary Orchestra, Edinburgh Grand Opera, the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland under the baton of Ilan Volkov, Lutz Koehler, Diago Masson, Yan Pascal Tortellier and Tadaaki Otaka.

Always a proactive and dedicated chamber musician, Nicola is the winner of the Nicholas Blake Ensemble prize from the Royal Academy of Music for which she performed principal clarinet in Mozart’s “Gran Partita” for 13 winds. As well as the Scottish Wind Ensemble, she is also a member of Quintet Zambra and The Cameo Clarinet Quartet.

Nicola is thoroughly active in the education system and has over 10 years experience teaching clarinet, saxophone, piano and recorder to students of all ages and standards in both solo and group contexts. She is currently the clarinet and saxophone tutor at Portobello Music School.

Rebecca Whitener (neé Owen), Clarinet

Rebecca was born in Surrey and after moving to Birmingham aged 14 she went on to study clarinet at the Birmingham Conservatoire with Michael Harris and then with Timothy Lines and Angela Malsbury at the Royal Academy of Music in London. During her studies Rebecca won the Symphony Hall Recital Competition the wind section of the Tunbridge Wells International Young Concert Artists (TWIYCA) and gave solo recitals at the Symphony Hall Birmingham Colston Hall Bristol, The Assembly Hall Theatre Tunbridge Wells and Fairfield Halls Croydon, as well as being awarded a Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.

As an orchestral musician, Rebecca has played in some of Europe’s finest concert halls with the (UBS) Verbier Festival Orchestra, Festival Ensemble Stuttgart, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Britten-Pears Orchestra, and Southbank Sinfonia.

Passionate about music education, Rebecca has coached for the Benslow Advanced Chamber Music Course, ‘Bach to Baccus’ Chamber Music course in Trittenheim, Germany and was the Chamber Music Coach and Assistant Conductor of the Palace Band in London. Rebecca currently teaches and coaches at the Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD), and for Inverclyde and East Dumbartonshire Councils.

Lesley Bell, Clarinet

Lesley grew up in Fife and was a pupil at the Junior Academy of Music in Glasgow. After two years at Napier University in Edinburgh she transferred to the BA Music course at the RSAMD where she graduated with a First Class Honours in 2003.

Lesley now combines teaching at Aberdeen City Music School and St. George's School for Girls in Edinburgh with a freelance career. She has performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and she is also a founding member of the Cameo Clarinet Quartet and the Ebony Duo.

Lesley is currently a musician in the Highland Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and has performed with them in France, Luxembourg, Nova Scotia and Romania.

Jenny Stephenson, Clarinet

Originally from Edinburgh, Jenny is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where she studied clarinet with Yann Ghiro and John Cushing and bass clarinet with Simon Butterworth. Jenny then continued her musical studies in France where she specialised in contemporary music with Claude Crousier at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Regional de Marseille.

Since her return to Scotland, Jenny has performed with The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra the Orchestra of Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera. Her solo performances include Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, The Copland Clarinet Concerto and the Artie Shaw Concerto for Clarinet. A keen chamber musician, Jenny performs with Arunda, Beresford Trio, Cameo Clarinet Quartet and Ensemble Thing.

Along with her clarinet, Jenny performed as Lady Chisholme in “The Little Girl Who Loved Stars” for children’s theatre company Very Victorian Tales and as Miss Critch in “Henry the Litter Worm” for Oak Note Theatre.

As an educator Jenny is currently teaching clarinet on the Musical Theatre programme at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as well as being part of the teaching team for No Strings Attached, a charity committed to providing opportunities for young people with asthma.

Jenny regularly takes part in outreach projects with Music in Hospitals, Live Music Now! and Enterprise Music Scotland.

Heather Kent, Bassoon

Heather Kent (bassoon) grew up in East Kilbride within a musical family. After studying at the junior department of the RSAMD she went on to study there full time qualifying with a BA (Hons) and an MMus.

Heather is now an established freelance Bassoon and Contra-bassoonist working in Scotland and the North of England with orchestras such as Scottish Opera, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the RSNO, the Halle, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Ballet Orchestra. She is also a member of the Scottish Reed Trio.

Heather is also an experienced teacher and holds posts in East Dunbartonshire.

Anthea Wood, Bassoon

At the age of 15 and a bright young Derbyshire lass, Anthea had taken a full two years to decide that she didn't like the clarinet very much. She was overjoyed to be offered a "get- out" clause by her teacher to learn the bassoon. Attracted by it's unusual appearance and deep tone she was smitten, it was love at first sight!

Following her studies at the University of Huddersfield and the Royal Northern College of Music, she has been lucky enough to work with all of the North West's leading orchestras, including the Halle, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic and Opera North. She headed north to settle in Glasgow in July 2010, working regularly with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra as well as working with various chamber groups.

When not playing her bassoon Anthea has a passion for teaching and is a member of staff at the prestigious Chethams School of Music in Manchester, passing on her experience (and hopefully wisdom!) to the next generation of players.

Amongst her hobbies and interests are birdwatching (from her kitchen), any type of cleaning and polishing, and helping to support the economy with an ever increasing shoe and handbag collection.

Anthea plays on an instrument made in 1938 by the German makers Heckel. Its previous owner was Manfred Arlen, former principal bassoon with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic for over 30 years and co-writer of the Radio 4 UK theme!

Fraser Gordon, Bassoon/Contrabassoon

Born and educated in Edinburgh, Fraser initially trained as a violinist, graduating from the RSAMD with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Following this, he continued his studies at the Academy on the bassoon, studying with David Hubbard, Janet Bloxwich and Alan Warhurst, and gained a BMus (performance) with 1st Class Honours and a Postgraduate Diploma with Distinction, finishing in June 2008. During this time Fraser was successful in winning many performance prizes, including being awarded the Peter Morrison Prize for overall excellence and contributions to the corporate life of the Academy. The highlight of his studies has to be performing Michael Daugherty’s Dead Elvis for solo bassoon and ensemble, dressed in full Las Vegas 1970’s costume!

Fraser is a committed chamber and orchestral musician and after several years of freelancing with orchestras around the UK, was appointed in 2011 as the Principal Contrabassoonist of The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Leaving his native Scotland, he joined the orchestra in it’s 65th anniversary season, and has already extensively toured with the orchestra throughout Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, China, Spain, Oman, Russia and Azerbaijan. He also frequently appears as a guest player with other orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Philharmonia, John Wilson Orchestra and Aurora Orchestra. Fraser has been generously supported in the past by grants from The Dewar Arts Awards, The Wolfson Memorial Trust, both of which helped the purchase of the bassoon and contrabassoon he plays in the RPO today, and a James Caird

Scholarship.

Jamie Shield, French Horn

Jamie began playing the French horn at the age of 11 and two years later joined the junior department at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Jamie enjoyed 5 years there and then progressed to study full-time at the RSAMD with: David Flack, John Logan, David McClenaghan and Hugh Potts. Jamie graduated in 2011 with an honors degree of the first class and in 2012 with a Post Graduate Diploma. During his time there, Jamie won the prestigious Governors Recital Prize for Brass and was also presented with the Blair Memorial Prize for Excellence in Brass.

Still based in Scotland, Jamie enjoys regular freelance work with all of the Scottish Orchestras and been successful in gaining trials for the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for second horn. Jamie’s playing career to date has taken him to many countries around the world including Norway, Germany, Spain, Malta and Mauritius.

In his spare time Jamie can be found flying around the skies of Scotland as he is in the final stages of training for his Private Pilots License.

Christine Smith, French Horn

Christine smith was born in fife and began playing the horn at the age of thirteen. After studying at the RSAMD junior academy she continued her studies at the RSAMD with David McClenaghan, Huge Potts and David Flack, gaining a BMus, PGDip and a MMus with distinction.

Christine has amassed a considerable wealth of orchestral experience and plays regularly with orchestras all over the UK. She has also trialed with the Philharmonia, BBC Concert, BBC Scottish, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Welsh National Opera, Opera North, Royal Scottish National, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Scottish Opera, Northern Ballet, RTE and Ulster Orchestras. She has also worked with a number of West End touring productions including Mary Poppins, White Christmas, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Carousel.

In addition to her orchestral playing she is a keen chamber musician and solo musician giving various solo performances, notably Richard strauss’ First horn concerto with the RSAMD YouthWorks Music Orchestra, Strauss’ Second horn concerto with the RSAMD Symphony Orchestra and Glasgow Chamber Orchestra. Mozarts fourth horn concerto with the RSAMD Athenaeum Orchestra and Malcolm Arnold’s second horn concerto with the Arnold Ensemble. She has also performed with Fine Arts Brass, Hebrides, Paragon and Scottish Ensembles and a variety of other chamber ensembles, notably with John Wallace and other RSAMD staff members.

She is a recipient of the Mary D Adams Prize for chamber music, RSAMD Governors’ Recital Prize for Brass, RSAMD concerto competition and the Peter Morrison Prize.

Craig MacDonald, French Horn

Craig began playing the tenor horn at the age of 11. During his second year of high school he joined his first brass band, which is where the love of music began. Craig switched to French Horn when he was 17 and took up lessons with Ken Blackwood, then 5th horn with the RSNO. Craig then successfully applied for The National Youth Orchestra of Scotland (where he later became principal) and the RSAMD where he studied with David Flack and Hugh Potts, graduating with a BMus(Hons) in 2008. In 2009, he won a Leverhulme entrance scholarship to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama London, where he is studied with Hugh Seenan, Jeff Bryant and Richard Bissil.

As well as playing with the Scottish Wind Ensemble, Craig is also a successful freelance orchestral musician, and can be heard regularly performing with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Welsh National Opera, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Craig is in demand worldwide, and has recently toured Mumbai with the Symphony Orchestra of India.

Craig’s career has been vast and varied. From playing on the soundtracks to “Dr Who and David Attenburgh documentary “Madagascar”, to playing “Der Meistersingers” at the BBC Proms, and performing at the Reading and Leeds rock festival.

Fergus Kerr, French Horn

Having originally embarked upon a career in electronics Fergus is now a freelance French Horn player based in Glasgow. He is a frequent player with all of the Scottish orchestras, in particular the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and he also regularly travels to Gateshead to play at The Sage with the Royal Northern Sinfonia.

As a chamber musician he is a founder member of the Tunnell Trust prize-winning wind quintet the Gliondar Ensemble. This group has toured extensively in Scotland and Ireland playing in venues as diverse as Aberdeenshire’s tiny Monymusk Arts Trust and Dublin’s National Concert Hall. Following a collaboration between the Gliondar Ensemble at GIO-Fest 2011, Fergus is now a regular player with the free improvisation group Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra.

Fergus is also a founder member of several other groups specialising in contemporary music, jazz and folk music. In the field of folk music Fergus enjoys the wealth of crossover opportunities that Glasgow’s thriving music scene has to offer and he makes regular appearances with a variety of groups in particular at the annual Celtic Connections festival. Notable examples of this have been the True North Orchestra and the Martin Green Machine which describes its output as “Genetically Modified Ear Food”.

Fergus has given solo recitals at several venues in Scotland and has performed several concerti with a selection of amateur orchestras.