Course Tutors
Adrian Levine – First Violin Tutor
Born in London, Adrian Levine won a Junior Exhibition to the Royal College of Music at the age of 14. He later studied at the Royal Academy of Music where his teachers included Gyorgy Pauk, Sidney Griller and Emanuel Hurwitz.
Further study followed with members of the Amadeus Quartet for chamber music, a special study of the Janacek Quartets with the Janacek Quartet, and further violin studies with the great Polish virtuoso Henryk Szerying.
At the age of 24 he was appointed a first violinist in the English Chamber Orchestra, working with such artists as Daniel Barenboim, Mstislav Rostropovich, Pinchas Zuckerman and Isaac Stern.
After three years with the ECO, touring widely to such places as Hong Kong, the Caribbean, Europe and the USA, he left to become Leader of the Amphion String Quartet, taking residencies first at the Hatfield Polytechnic (now the University of Hertfordshire) then at the University of Liverpool. With the Quartet he toured Europe, the Far East and the USA and made many broadcasts for the BBC. During this period he also toured Korea and Hong Kong for the British Council.
In 1985, he was invited to become Co-Leader of the Academy of St Martin-in-the Fields. In his five years with the Academy he frequently appeared as soloist, leader and director, making many recordings and performing in the USA, Australia, Japan, Korea, Scandinavia and nearly every European country.
In 1990, he was invited to become Associate Leader of the Philharmonia Orchestra, where he led many international tours and concerts, including the famous Pavarotti in the Park open-air concert in Hyde Park, London, in 1991, televised throughout the world.
In 1992, he left the Philharmonia to accept a five year post as Leader of the Opera House of Rome at the invitation of Giuseppe Sinopoli.Adrian has worked as Guest Leader with such orchestras as the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Northern Sinfonia, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Ballet, BBC Welsh and Welsh National Opera.
Since returning to work in London, Adrian has become much in demand as a teacher and chamber music coach. He was for four years on the faculty at the Yellow Barn Festival in Vermont, USA, and from 2002 to 2010 taught and performed at the International Musical Arts Institute in Maien, USA.
He was until 2004 Head of Strings at London's Centre for Young Musicians, and is now a Professor at the Royal College of Music in London. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and of the Royal Society of Musicians. He is also on the staff at Chetham’s School, Manchester, where he teaches violin, viola and chamber music. He plays a Petrus Guarneri violin made in Venice, c 1740.
“Adrian was inspirational and incredibly helpful in regards to the music and advice for the future and playing.” 2015 UYO member
Joanne Quigley – Second Violin Tutor
Violinist Joanne Quigley was born in Newry, Northern Ireland. She graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester in 1999 with a BMus hons and Professional Performance Diploma.
Upon graduation she was also awarded the Emily English prize for violin and the Granada Prize for Chamber Music. Joanne was the recipient of many other awards during her college days including the KPMG Martin Musical Scholarship and the Young Artist Award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
Since then, Joanne has enjoyed a busy and varied career playing with many of the leading orchestras and ensembles in the UK and Ireland. From 2003-2006, she was a member of the Northern Sinfonia and from 2006-2008 she was the co-leader of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in Dublin. On leaving that post, Joanne has been in demand as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. She has recently led the Royal Scottish National Orchestra has appeared at the BBC Proms with the John Wilson Orchestra.
Joanne performs regularly with her brother David and together they have appeared in recital throughout the UK, Ireland and abroad. In 2008 they formed the Belfast Piano Trio with cellist Sasho Somov and performed to critical acclaim.
Joanne has broadcast as soloist and as a chamber musician for BBC, RTÉ and CBC radio. She is a Performance Associate of the Banff Centre for the Arts, Alberta, Canada and is the director of Newry Chamber Music, an organisation that provides world class chamber music concerts for the citizens of Joanne’s home town.
Stephen Tees – Viola Tutor
Stephen Tees was born in Scotland, and moved to London to study at the Royal College of Music. His past experience as a freelance viola player in London is wide, and very varied. Some examples are: professional string chamber music (travelling to such places as Asia, Australia and New Zealand and USA); guest principal viola with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and English Chamber Orchestra; and working in the studio on countless films, television shows and in the pop world. From 1989-2009 Stephen was principal viola with the City of London Sinfonia, with whom he made 3 CD solo appearances on the Chandos label.
He has also been involved in community work, leading workshops with the Homeless, Primary Children and the Elderly, and in the business world using music in management training. For 20 years was a professor of viola at Trinity College of Music, and then for several years, at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Variety has continued in recent years with him playing at Ronnie Scott's jazz club, the Burrbery male fashion show(!), and Womad Festival. He is now exploring world of jazz viola and this year appeared as a solo artist with his guitarist at the Lockerbie Jazz Festival.
“Steve Tees has been an amazing tutor. He’s extremely enthusiastic, gives us so much useful stuff / advice / practise tips to take away with us and is always willing to help out or give more advice in the breaks”. UYO member 2015
Benedict Rogerson - Cello Tutor
Ben Rogerson is a member of the BBC Concert Orchestra and the London Mozart Players and also enjoys playing regularly with the John Wilson Orchestra. He considers himself most fortunate to have spent most of the nought-ies with the Irish Chamber Orchestra. With the ICO he toured all over the world giving concerts with artists including Maxim Vengerov, Steven Isserlis, Anthony Marwood and Nigel Kennedy in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall in New York to the Forbidden Palace in Beijing, and the Community Centre on Inis Boffin off the West Coast of Ireland.
His life with the BBCCO involves a more eclectic range of music making, from classical and pop concerts, to recording music for TV, film, radio and CD. Jeff Lynne and the ELO, Earth Wind and Fire, Kylie Minogue, Sinead O'Connor and Dame Edna Everidge are amongst the artists they have worked with recently, and the orchestra is resident for Radio 2's flagship show "Friday Night is Music Night".
Ben has played as Guest Principal Cello for the City of London Sinfonia, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera and Opera North, the Mozart Festival Orchestra and the Johann Strauss Gala Orchetsra. With violinist Gabrielle Painter and Leslie Hollingworth he formed the Szabo Piano Trio. Together they gave recitals throughout the UK and Ireland, recorded for Champs Hill Records, and broadcast on Lyric FM. Nowadays he gives chamber music concerts mostly with the Minerva Ensemble. He has appeared as a guest with the Carducci, Tippet, Merchant and St. Paul’s quartets for performances of the Schubert C Major Quintet.
Ben studied at the Royal Academy of Music where his cello teacher was Derek Simpson of the Aoelian Quartet, and at SUNY Purchase, USA, with Julia Lichten of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. For several years he coached the cello section of the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, and served on the faculty of Con Corda, a chamber music course founded in Ireland by the late Hugh Maguire. Now Ben teaches the cello at Tonbridge School, Kent, and at Frensham Heights in Surrey. He is married to the pianist Alexis White and is very proud of his two children Harry and Scarlett.
Ronan Dunne - Double Bass Tutor
Ronan began his musical training as a chorister with the Palestrina Choir in Dublin's Pro-Cathedral. He then took up the double bass and, aged eighteen, went to study in London and then on to Vienna. He spent a couple of wonderful years touring Ireland as a member of the Irish Chamber Orchestra before becoming a member of the BBC Philharmonic, where he has played since 2002 and was appointed Principal Bass in 2015.
As well as enjoying touring to Europe and the Far East, he is hugely enthusiastic about the wide variety of repertoire the orchestra performs each season. As a guest principal bass, he plays regularly with Scottish Chamber Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Northern Sinfonia, The Hallé, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Opera North.
As a chamber musician, he has enjoyed many interesting collaborations, with such quartets as the Voglers and the Callinas. Ronan is passionate about teaching and bringing on the next generation of young bass players. He teaches, tutors and takes classes at the Royal Northern College of Music and has given masterclasses around Europe and most recently in Asia.
Meyrick Alexander – Woodwind Tutor
Meyrick Alexander has had a long and varied career as a bassoonist. He held the position of Principal Bassoon in the Philharmonia Orchestra from 1980 until 2010 when he left to become Head of Woodwind at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where he served for seven years, becoming a bassoon tutor in 2017. He was also on the staff of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for thirty years, Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Northern College of Music. He is in demand as a teacher and lecturer worldwide and has given recitals and classes in Europe, USA, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. For several years he has been the bassoon coach of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and the woodwind tutor of the Ulster Youth Orchestra.
Meyrick is Principal Bassoon of the London Chamber Orchestra and was formerly a member of the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra and the Northern Sinfonia. He is currently also freelancing with many British orchestras and plays period instruments with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. He has appeared as a soloist and chamber player with many of the UK’s leading ensembles. In 2017 he was awarded the RWCMD President’s Medal and became a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
He has featured on many recordings including a recital CD “The Wandering Bassoon” with the RWCMD’s distinguished departmental pianist Catherine Milledge.
“Meyrick was not only very nice and patient but also provided great musical advice and direction.” UYO member 2015"
Lindsey Stoker - Horn Tutor
Lindsey Stoker is the Senior Horn Tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. She has been teaching at the RNCM since 1990. A graduate of the RNCM, Lindsey studied with Michael Purton and Derek Taylor.
Lindsey is passionate about promoting the horn. She also teaches at Chetham’s School of Music and leads RNCM Young Horns which encourages local young hornplayers. Keen to bring new aspects to her teaching Lindsey has studied Dalcroze Eurhythmics and is just completing a teaching certificate. She has given Masterclasses and workshops with the British Horn Society and in Moscow, St Petersburg, Santiago, Oslo and Hong Kong.
Lindsey was Assistant Principal Horn with the Halle Orchestra from 1990-2000 and has subsequently pursued a freelance career alongside her teaching. Last year she performed in the highly acclaimed Wager Ring cycle with Opera North. She has played principal horn with BBC Philharmonic, RLPO, BBC Concert orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Northern Chamber Orchestra, RTE and Birmingham Royal Ballet and has also worked with Opera North, CBSO, BBC NOW, and Scottish Opera. She is a member of Zephyr with whom she plays chamber music concerts throughout the UK.
Lindsey has tutored the Horns at EUYO in summer 2010 and 2011 and spring 2013 and was herself first horn in the orchestra in 1988 and 1989. She was a guest tutor at the Prague Hornclass in 2011 along with Radek Baborak, and Thomas Hauschild.and in 2015 with Ricardo Matosinhos. She tutored the horns at NYO in summer 2017 and NYO inspire 2017 and 2018
Ewan Easton – Brass Tutor
Ewan is Principal Tuba with the Hallé Orchestra and Tutor in Tuba at the RNCM and Manchester University. He is also passionate about making classical music relevant to contemporary society. Over the past decade, Ewan’s pioneering work with the ground-breaking project Hallé4Brass has been recognised by the Daily Mirror ‘People's Award’, the Butler Trust Award for ‘Skills in Education’, and has even seen Ewan receive an MBE from the Queen. As a tutor for NYO, Ewan takes delight inspiring the students to engage with local communities. Ewan also serves as a councillor for the National Youth Brass Band.
Graham Johns – Percussion Tutor
Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, from a young age Graham benefited from New Zealand's rich musical education system, playing with the Christchurch Youth Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the New Zealand National Youth Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In 1975, at the age of 19, Graham was appointed Principal Timpanist of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in Hobart, Australia, the youngest ever Principal player in the country at that time.
This was followed by three years of study with Jan Pustjens and Jan Labordus at the Amsterdam Conservatorium of Music. While there Graham played regularly as an extra percussionist and occasional 2nd timpanist, with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. His debut with the RCO was in 1978 playing Harmonica, with Sir Colin Davis conducting, for the orchestra's 90th Birthday Concert (broadcast live on Eurovision). He also freelanced with several other of the Netherlands finest orchestras and ensembles. In 1979 Graham was awarded a scholarship to Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the USA to study with Michael Rosen, graduating in 1982 with a BMus (Magna Cum Laude). In 1983 he won a Fellowship to the Boston Symphony Orchestra Tanglewood Music Centre to study with Vic Firth and Frank Epstein, playing under conductors Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa and Andre Previn. Graham also enjoyed a period of study in New York with Fred Hinger, the former timpanist of the Philadelphia and Metropolitan Opera Orchestras, later with Alan Abel, renowned former percussionist of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Richard Hochrainer of the Vienna Philharmonic. While in the USA Graham performed with the Grand Teton Festival Orchestra and the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.
In 1983 Graham was appointed as Section Leader Percussion of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, where he currently performs under Maestro Vasily Petrenko. On a number of occasions he has performed as soloist with the RLPO including the UK premiere of Takemitsu 'Gitimalya' for marimba and orchestra (broadcast live on BBC Radio 3) along with other well known solo works for percussion by Bartok, Milhaud and Panufnik. He continues to be invited to play with several of the UK's leading symphony orchestras. In Europe he has performed with the Czech Philharmonic (playing Jews Harp in Ives Holiday Symphony), Prague Symphony Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra. Amongst the conductors he has played under include Bernard Haitinck, Kurt Sanderling, Leonard Slatkin, Kiril Kondrashin, Sir Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, Sir Charles Mackerras, Vladimir Askenazy, Claudio Abbado and Sir Andrew Davis.
In 1995, by special invitation, Graham became a founding member of the World Orchestra for Peace conducted by Sir George Solti. This exceptional ensemble performs regularly at the BBC Proms in London and around the world as 'Ambassadors for Peace', with tours throughout Europe, Russia, China and the USA. www.worldorchestraforpeace.com
In May 2014 at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Graham and the RLPO Timpani and Percussion Sections performed the World Premiere of a specially commissioned Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra 'Poltroons in Paradise' by Stewart Copeland (drummer of the 80's band The Police), now a Hollywood film composer in great demand.. A subsequent performance and live BBC broadcast took place from Perth (Scotland). Further performances also took place in Dublin and Beijing in September & October 2014.
Tanya Houghton – Harp Tutor
Originally from Birmingham, Tanya studied in Cambridge, London and Paris before embarking on a freelance career based in the UK and Ireland. She enjoys playing for a wide range of ensembles from symphony orchestras to chamber groups, and accompanying soloists and choirs. Her recent orchestral work includes appearances with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Ballet Sinfonia and the RTE NSO in Dublin and she is principal harpist of the chamber orchestra Orchestra of the Swan. As a choral accompanist she is fortunate to have worked with composers and conductors including John Rutter, Bob Chilcott, David Hill and Graham Ross, with whom she has appeared on BBC Radio 3's 'In tune' programme and also features on his CD of music by Imogen Holst, recently nominated for a Gramophone award. The recording ‘A rose in the middle of winter’ in which she accompanies Commotio choir in music by Bob Chilcott reached the top of last year’s classical charts. Last year she played for Britten’s 100th birthday concert in Wigmore Hall, accompanying tenor Nicholas Mulroy, and works regularly as a recital accompanist for singers. Aside from playing, Tanya works as an examiner for both the ABRSM and the Royal Northern College of Music, and has adjudicated the harp class at the Bromley and Redhill & Reigate competitions. Also a singer, she directs and sings in Melisma, the Belfast-based 8 voice choir.
“Tanya was so lovely and such an excellent teacher. Did not restrict the sectionals just to the course repertoire- shared information on general harp technique and repertoire. She gave us flowers!” UYO member 2015
David Quigley - Piano Tutor
Award winning Irish pianist David Quigley enjoys a wide and varied career as a recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician. He has performed in many of the world's greatest concert halls including the Philharmonie Köln, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Symphony Hall Birmingham, Musikverein Vienna, Mozarteum Salzburg, Palais des Beaux-Arts Brussels, National Concert Hall Athens, Wigmore Hall London, Konserthaus Stockholm and Carnegie Hall New York.As a concerto soloist he has appeared with many orchestras including the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the Ulster Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Camerata Ireland, Southern Sinfonia and Cairo Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated with distinguished conductors such as Barry Wordsworth, Barry Douglas, Takuo Yuasa, Sachio Fujioka and David Porcelijn.
David is also a much sought after chamber musician and performs with internationally renowned artists including oboist Nicholas Daniel, clarinettist Michael Collins, violinist Nathaniel Vallois and soprano Ailish Tynan. He also performs regularly with his sister, the violinist Joanne Quigley in both duo recitals and in trio recitals with cellist Jonathan Aasgaard. He has recently formed a new chamber group, Incus Ensemble, with clarinettist Jack McNeill and violist Rose Redgrave.
David's discography includes Piano Music From Northern Ireland (Lontano records), Saint-Saëns Carnival Of The Animals with Jeremy Young and the Lancashire Sinfonietta, Rediscoveries: Old and New music of Ireland with his sister Joanne Quigley (Ischia Records), Piano music by Philip Hammond (Lontano records) and his latest release, Piano Classics (El Greco Records). He broadcasts extensively on both radio and television for the BBC, RTÉ, Classic FM, RTÉ Lyric FM and Dutch Radio 4.
Recent performing highlights include a multi city solo recital and masterclass tour of China and chamber music recitals at the National Concert Hall Dublin, Barber Institute Birmingham and RNCM Concert Hall Manchester.
Aside from performing, David is passionate about musical education. He is a member of the piano faculty at Birmingham Conservatoire, one of the UK’s leading music colleges. He is co-founder/director of Newry Chamber Music, a concert society that provides concerts and education projects in his home town and surrounding areas. David is also frequently invited to give Masterclasses and to adjudicate piano competitions throughout Ireland and the UK.
David was a member of UYO from 1994 - 1996 and was also the first concerto soloist to play with the orchestra, performing Rachmaninov's second piano concerto.
