PAST TUTORS
VANESSA DAVID
COURSE DIRECTOR
Vanessa founded National Strings over 15 years ago and passionately developed the course to give high quality musical education to young musicians from around the world.
Principal 1st violin with Royal Ballet Sinfonia, which she has led at venues such as the Barbican and Symphony Hall and is mentoring scheme co-ordinator. In her freelance career she has guest led National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, London City Ballet, Welsh Chamber Orchestra and London Concertante; co-led the Ulster Orchestra, English chamber Orchestra and Bournemouth Sinfonietta; worked with Academy of St. Martin’s in the Fields and ROH. Broadcast as a soloist on Radio 3, Radio Wales, BBC Wales & HTV. She teaches at Junior Guildhall and coaches many youth orchestras and has given orchestral classes at the Royal Academy of Music, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Birmingham Conservatoire and teaching workshops at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
YURI TORCHINSKY
VIOLIN - MASTERCLASS
Yuri Torchinsky is Leader of the BBC Philharmonic and a distinguished violinist, orchestral leader and teacher. Born in Kharkov, now in Ukraine, in 1955, he began playing the violin at the age of six. At just 24, while still a student, he became the youngest-ever concertmaster of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra in Moscow. He toured internationally with the company as both leader and soloist and achieved success in several major competitions, notably the 1981 Huml International Violin Competition in Zagreb. Torchinsky moved to Britain and became Leader of the BBC Philharmonic in 1996. He has guest-led many of Britain's leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic, Philharmonia and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. As Leader of the BBC Philharmonic, he has made over 100 recordings for Chandos Records and regularly appears as a soloist with the orchestra.
Alongside his performing career, Torchinsky is a Violin Tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he shares his extensive experience with the next generation of violinists.
LESLEY HATFIELD
VIOLIN - MASTERCLASS
Lesley Hatfield is Concertmaster of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and a distinguished violinist whose career encompasses orchestral, chamber and solo performance, alongside teaching. Before joining BBC NOW, she was Co-Leader of the Northern Sinfonia and Leader of the Ulster Orchestra, establishing a strong reputation for musical leadership and versatility. Hatfield is also a member of the highly acclaimed Gaudier Ensemble, with whom she performs regularly in the UK and internationally. She is frequently invited to perform with a wide range of ensembles and at chamber music festivals, reflecting her extensive experience as a chamber musician and collaborator. Her repertoire spans a broad range of chamber and orchestral music, and she is equally at home in ensemble and solo performance.
Alongside her performing career, Hatfield is a Professor of Violin at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where she teaches and mentors aspiring professional violinists. Her combination of orchestral leadership, chamber music and teaching has made her an important figure in British musical life.
SERGEY LEVITIN
VIOLIN - MASTERCLASS
Sergey Levitin is an internationally acclaimed violinist and concertmaster, renowned for his artistry and musical leadership. Since 2004, he has been Concertmaster of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where he has played a leading role in performances across a wide range of operatic and orchestral repertoire.
At just 23, Levitin was appointed Concertmaster of the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra by Valery Gergiev. During his time with the orchestra, he toured extensively around the world and contributed to major recordings for Philips Classics and Decca, establishing his international reputation.
Levitin is also the founder of the Chamber Principals of London, reflecting his strong commitment to chamber music. He is regularly invited as guest concertmaster by leading international orchestras, including the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. His career combines exceptional orchestral experience with a strong passion for chamber music and musical collaboration.
DAVID ADAMS
VIOLIN - MASTERCLASS
David Adams is Leader of the English National Opera Orchestra, with a distinguished career spanning orchestral, chamber and solo performance, alongside teaching. He was previously Leader of the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera and, before that, Leader of the Ulster Orchestra. He has also appeared as Guest Leader with many of the UK's leading orchestras, including the Hallé and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. A versatile musician equally at home on violin and viola, Adams has a strong commitment to chamber music. He has been a member of the Raphael Ensemble, Ovid Ensemble and London Bridge Trio, and has performed and recorded regularly with ensembles including the Nash Ensemble, Endellion String Quartet, Gould Piano Trio and Hebrides Ensemble. He is also Co-Artistic Director of the Penarth Chamber Music Festival.
Alongside his performing career, Adams teaches violin at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where he works with individual students and mentors chamber ensembles and orchestral performance students. His extensive experience as an orchestral leader and chamber musician makes him a valued teacher and mentor to young professional musicians.
ROBERT GIBBS
VIOLIN - MASTERCLASS
Robert Gibbs is Leader of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, a position he has held since 1998, and is an accomplished violinist with a career spanning orchestral, solo and chamber music. He studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal College of Music, where he was awarded the Tagore Gold Medal. His orchestral career has included regular guest-leading engagements with the Royal Opera House Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic and orchestras in Europe, Japan and Canada.
Gibbs has also performed extensively as a soloist, appearing throughout the UK, Europe, Latin America and Asia. His recordings include solo works by Bax, W. H. Reed and Goossens, as well as chamber music by composers including Rawsthorne, Korngold, Rózsa, Rebecca Clarke, Brahms and Mozart.
Alongside his orchestral and solo work, Gibbs has a strong commitment to chamber music, regularly performing in piano trios and string quartets. His varied career reflects a broad musical experience, from ballet and orchestral leadership to solo and chamber performance.
REBECCA CHAMBERS
VIOLA - MASTERCLASS
Rebecca (Bekki) Chambers is Principal Viola of the English National Opera Orchestra, with a distinguished career spanning orchestral, chamber music and teaching. Before joining ENO, she was a member of both the Philharmonia Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra, gaining extensive experience across a wide range of orchestral repertoire. Chambers is regularly invited to perform as Guest Principal Viola with many of the UK's leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Ballet Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra and London Mozart Players. Alongside her orchestral work, she is a committed chamber musician and was a member of the acclaimed Tippett Quartet.
Teaching is an important part of Chambers' musical life. She has extensive experience coaching viola sections and teaching individual students, including coaching at the Royal College of Music.
SIMON ROLAND JONES
VIOLA - MASTERCLASS
Simon Rowland-Jones is a distinguished violist, composer, editor and teacher whose career has encompassed chamber music, solo performance and musical education. He was a founder and violist of the Chilingirian Quartet, with whom he enjoyed an extensive international career. He made his solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall in 1979, establishing a reputation as both a chamber musician and soloist.
Alongside his performing career, Rowland-Jones is Professor of Viola and Chamber Music at the Royal College of Music, where he teaches and mentors aspiring professional musicians.
Rowland-Jones has also made an important contribution to the viola repertoire as an editor and arranger. Peters Edition published his viola transcription of Bach's Cello Suites following his recording, and he subsequently produced a new critical and performing edition of Haydn's String Quartets. His varied career reflects a deep commitment to performance, teaching and the development of string repertoire.
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MARTIN OUTRAM
VIOLA - MASTERCLASS
Martin Outram is Lionel Tertis Professor of Viola at the Royal Academy of Music, where he has taught since 1984 and is the Academy's longest-serving professor of viola. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy and has given masterclasses at leading conservatoires internationally, including in Europe, China and the USA. His teaching is complemented by his extensive experience as a performer, soloist and chamber musician.
For more than forty years, Outram was the violist of the internationally renowned Maggini Quartet, performing throughout Europe, North America and the Far East. With the Quartet and other ensembles, he has recorded more than fifty discs and received major honours including the Gramophone Award, Diapason d'Or and Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Chamber Music. He has also enjoyed a distinguished solo career, performing at the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall and appearing internationally with the Britten Sinfonia. Several concertos have been written specifically for him, reflecting his contribution to the development of the viola repertoire.
JO COLE
CELLO - MASTERCLASS
Jo Cole is a distinguished cellist and teacher, with a strong commitment to musical education. She is Professor of Cello at the Royal Academy of Music, where she was Head of Strings from 2010 to 2022 and continues to teach undergraduate and postgraduate students. She is also a Trustee of the Tillett Trust, supporting young professional musicians at the early stages of their careers.
Alongside her teaching, Cole has enjoyed a distinguished performing career spanning orchestral and chamber music. She spent more than twenty years with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and has held positions as Co-Principal Cello of the City of London Sinfonia and Orchestra of St John’s. She has also performed regularly with the London Symphony Orchestra and as Guest Principal with the Royal Opera House, Opera North and BBC Symphony Orchestra. Her extensive experience as both a performer and educator informs her work with the next generation of cellists.
SIMON SMITH
VIOLIN
Simon Smith is a distinguished violinist, teacher and chamber musician. He is currently Head of Strings and Chamber Music at Wells Cathedral School, where he leads the specialist string department and coaches chamber music. He has previously taught at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Royal Northern College of Music, Trinity Laban and the Royal College of Music Junior Department, where he taught violin. He has also given masterclasses internationally, including in Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore.
As a soloist, Smith has performed with leading ensembles including the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Philharmonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestra of St John's, Smith Square, appearing in major venues throughout the UK. He has given solo recitals at Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room, with a repertoire ranging from the Baroque and Classical periods through to 20th-century and contemporary works. He was also a member of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Octet, performing and broadcasting internationally. His career combines an active solo and chamber music life with a strong commitment to teaching and developing young musicians.
CLARE THOMPSON
VIOLIN
Clare Thompson is a distinguished violinist, teacher and chamber musician, with an extensive career as an orchestral leader. She was Sub-Leader of the Philharmonia Orchestra for over a decade and has appeared as Guest Leader with the Royal Opera House, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Ulster Orchestra and London Mozart Players. She has also held principal positions with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra, and has regularly led and co-led British orchestras, including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Alongside her performing career, Thompson is a longstanding Professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire and a Violin Teacher at the Junior Royal Academy of Music. Passionate about nurturing young musicians, she has been a regular tutor with the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain since 2004. She regularly gives masterclasses internationally and is sought after as a teacher and audition mentor.
. She was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in recognition of her services to music.
CAROL PAIGE
VIOLIN
Carol Paige is Principal Second Violin of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, where she has been a member for many years. She is also much in demand as a Guest Principal and has performed as Principal Second Violin with leading orchestras including the CBSO, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Northern Sinfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Welsh National Opera and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Paige began playing the violin at the age of seven and studied Music at Cardiff University, graduating with First Class Honours before undertaking postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music. At the Academy she was awarded the prestigious dipRAM for an outstanding final recital. Alongside her orchestral career, she is a keen chamber musician and regularly collaborates with other leading performers. She is also a Trustee of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, reflecting her wider commitment to the musical life of the organisation.
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SEBASTIAN SEE-SCHIERENBERG
VIOLIN
Sebastian See-Schierenberg is a British German-Chinese concert violinist, teacher, chamber music coach, competition adjudicator and conductor. He is currently a Violin Tutor at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and, while based in Cardiff, continues to travel regularly to Asia, where he is highly sought after as a teacher and masterclass tutor. Many of his former students have won international competition prizes and scholarships to leading conservatoires.
See-Schierenberg studied at the Royal College of Music with Itzhak Rashkovsky before continuing his studies with Valery Klimov in Germany and Maya Glissarova in Moscow. He has performed as a soloist at major venues including the Berlin Konzerthaus, Luxembourg Philharmonie, Southbank Centre and Singapore Esplanade, and has recorded for Signum Classics.
He is also an experienced orchestral conductor, conducting orchestras and youth ensembles internationally, while coaching chamber ensembles and working as a competition adjudicator.
ERRIKA COLLINS
VIOLA
Errika Collins is Principal Viola of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, the orchestra of Birmingham Royal Ballet. Born in London, she studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Yuko Inoue and Rivka Golani before beginning her professional career as a freelance musician. She subsequently spent seven years in Dublin as a member of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, before joining the Royal Ballet Sinfonia in 2014.
Alongside her work with the Sinfonia, Collins has performed with leading orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, and has worked on film sessions. She also maintains an active chamber music career, performing in concerts with colleagues from the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.
Collins is passionate about teaching and coaching young musicians, particularly those preparing for music college and professional careers. Her experience across orchestral, ballet and chamber music gives her a broad perspective to share with developing violists.
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ALEX THORNDIKE
VIOLA
Alex Thorndike is Assistant Principal Viola of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and a dedicated teacher whose career combines orchestral performance with extensive work in music education. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Nicholas Logie, where he led all the orchestras and won both the Cecil Aronowitz and Rachel Godlee Viola Prizes. He began his professional orchestral career with the Hallé Orchestra before joining BBC NOW.
Alongside his orchestral work, Alex is Viola Tutor at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and a Specialist Viola teacher at Wells Cathedral School, one of the UK's specialist music schools. He also coaches the viola section of the National Youth String Orchestra. His teaching is complemented by his extensive professional experience as an orchestral violist, giving students the opportunity to learn from an active performer working at the highest level.
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DOROTHEA VOGEL
VIOLA
Dot Vogel is a Viola Tutor at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, with an extensive career as a chamber musician and orchestral violist. Born in Switzerland, she studied with Rudolf Weber before receiving scholarships to study with Paul Coletti at the Peabody Institute and with David Takeno and Micaela Comberti at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, where she gained the Concert Recital Diploma.
Vogel spent around twenty years as violist of the Allegri Quartet, performing extensively in the UK and internationally. She is also a member of the Primrose Piano Quartet and Narratio Quartet, which specialises in Beethoven's quartets on gut strings. Her interest in historically informed performance has also led to work with baroque ensembles including The King's Consort.
She has performed with leading London orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared as a soloist at Wigmore Hall.
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BEN DAVIES
CELLO
Ben Davies is a cellist and teacher based in London. Alongside a wide-ranging freelance career, he has been Principal Cello of English Touring Opera since 2000 and is also a member of the cello sections at Glyndebourne and Garsington Opera. His freelance work has encompassed period performance, contemporary and popular music, West End theatre and chamber music, and he has performed with ensembles including the London Mozart Players and City of London Sinfonia. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in 2012.
Ben has over thirty years' experience as a teacher and currently teaches at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Royal Holloway, University of London. He has also taught at the Purcell School, Wells Cathedral School and Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He coaches young musicians through projects including the National Children's Orchestra and Encore Music Projects, and has prepared students for entry to conservatoires throughout the UK. His former students include Sheku Kanneh-Mason, winner of BBC Young Musician 2016.
WILLIAM BRUCE
CELLO
William Bruce is Head of Strings at Junior Guildhall and a highly experienced cello teacher and music educator. He is much in demand throughout the UK for masterclasses, workshops, summer schools and inset days, and runs an annual residential summer school for cellists at Hindhead Music Centre. He is also an experienced adjudicator and Consultant Moderator for the ABRSM.
Bruce studied cello with Christopher Bunting and took part in masterclasses with Jacqueline du Pré and William Pleeth. He further developed his chamber music experience through courses at the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies, working with members of the Amadeus Quartet. He was a Visiting Professor at the University of South Carolina and joined the orchestra of English National Opera in 1982, combining a distinguished performing career with his longstanding commitment to teaching and music education.
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BEN TARLTON
CELLO
Ben Tarlton is a Welsh cellist, soloist and chamber musician, with performances at Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields, BBC Hoddinott Hall and Dora Stoutzker Hall, as well as broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. He has appeared as a concerto soloist and recitalist in the UK and internationally, and is a member of the Mithras Trio. He studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School and Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Alongside his performing career, Tarlton is passionate about teaching and music education. He taught cello at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama from 2021 to 2025 and has been Guest Course Director of the Pro Corda Cello Course. He is also Festival Director of the Llantwit Major Chamber Music Festival, which he founded in 2019, and was awarded the 2022 Master's Award from the Livery Company of Wales for his contribution to the Festival's educational work.
REBECCA SELLEY
COLLABORATIVE PIANO
Rebecca studied piano and piano accompaniment with Yu Chun Yee and Robert Sutherland at the Royal College of Music. Whilst there she won the John Ireland Prize for accompanists, and played for masterclasses given by, amongst others, William Pleeth, Dorothy Delay and Benjamin Luxon; more recently she has played in masterclasses for such eminent musicians as Maxim Vengerov, James Ehnes, Dong-Suk Kang, Leonid Gorokhov, Roger Chase, Simon Rowland Jones, Alban Gerhardt, Thomas Carroll, Boris Garlitsky, Rachel Podger and Pamela Frank. She has also given recitals with Tim Hugh, Leon Bosch and Dominic Seldis. Rebecca gives piano trio recitals with The Vale Piano Trio and is a regular pianist in the BBC NOW chamber series. She has made frequent appearances at the Wales Millennium Centre, including accompanying competitors of the Menuhin Competition and BBC Young Musician of the Year.
Rebecca also works as an accompanist for BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Welsh National Opera and Royal Welsh college of Music and Drama.
LOUISA LAM
COLLABORATIVE PIANO
Louisa Lam is an experienced pianist, accompanist and teacher whose work encompasses solo performance, ensemble playing and music education. She has performed as both soloist and accompanist at leading London venues including Barbican Hall, Wigmore Hall, Southwark Cathedral, St James’s Piccadilly and St Martin-in-the-Fields, as well as internationally at venues including Auditori Winterthur in Barcelona and Musica Eboræ in Portugal.
Alongside her performing career, Louisa is a Staff Accompanist at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, working across both the Senior and Junior departments. She is also répétiteur for the St John of Jerusalem Festival Chorus in Hackney and teaches piano at Christ’s Hospital School in West Sussex. She maintains a thriving private teaching practice in London and is passionate about supporting young musicians in their musical development.
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EDWARD LEUNG
COLLABORATIVE PIANO
American pianist Edward Leung is a sought-after soloist and chamber musician, recognised for his versatility and musicality. He is a 2025–2027 Making Music Recommended Artist and Bösendorfer-Amadeus Young Artist, and was named a Rising Star of the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival. His debut album with violinist Usha Kapoor received critical acclaim from publications including BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone.
After studying at Princeton University and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Edward is currently Staff Pianist at the Yehudi Menuhin School, where he works closely with young musicians across solo, chamber and accompaniment repertoire. He also gives masterclasses internationally and has previously taught at the Junior Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and Westminster School.
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CATHERINE MILLEDGE
COLLABORATIVE PIANO
Catherine Milledge is an experienced pianist, accompanist and teacher based in Cardiff. She won the Birmingham Accompanist of the Year Award in 2001 and prizes for accompaniment at the Wigmore Hall International Song Competition and Royal Overseas League. She has performed at Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room, as well as festivals and music societies throughout the UK, and has broadcast live on BBC Radio 3. Her recordings include collaborations with bassoonist Meyrick Alexander and saxophonist Amy Dickson.
Catherine is an Accompanist at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and teaches piano at Cardiff University. She also undertakes freelance work with Welsh National Opera and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.