Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Tutors and Staff (A to Z)
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Anthony Alcock
Double Bass Tutor
Anthony has until recently been Principal double bass of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London having previously been section leader with the BBC Now (Wales), BBC SSO (Scotland), Scottish Opera and Co Principal with the Halle. As a guest Principal he has led all the London symphony orchestras (LSO, LPO, Philharmonia and...
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Mark Ashford
Head of Guitar
Born in Northampton, England, Mark Ashford began his formal musical training at Chetham's School of Music with Gordon Crosskey. He then went on to study with Michael Lewin as a scholarship student at the Royal Academy of Music, from where he graduated with First Class Honours and several Awards from the Principal. During the...
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Laura Ashton
Oboe Tutor
Laura Ashton studied oboe at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and the Royal College of Music, completing her postgraduate studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany. During this time, she toured Europe with the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra and gained professional experience performing with the...
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Julian Atkinson
Double Bass Tutor
Raised in Renfrewshire, Julian learned double bass with Bill Hoare and David Inglis in Scotland before studying with Robin McGee at the Royal Academy of Music. Julian joined the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 1985 and continued his studies with Thomas Martin. Julian is Principal No2 Double Bass with the City of...
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Professor Richard Ayres
Visiting Professor in Composition
"Ayres score is a fizzy cocktail of hyperactivity, Baroque poise, Straussian pastiche, tantalising tango and much more. Zany and anarchic, it nevertheless has a human core." (Barry Millington on The Cricket Recovers, Evening Standard) Richard Ayres was born in Cornwall in 1965. In 1986 he followed Morton Feldman's classes at...
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Fred T Baker
Electric Bass Tutor
Fred Thelonious Baker (born 4 June 1960) is an English guitarist and bass guitarist from Tibshelf, Derbyshire. He is known for playing in Phil Miller 's Canterbury scene band In Cahoots .[1] Baker played the guitar until his mid-teens, at which point he began to take an interest in the bass as well. He played in The John...
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Stephen Barlow
Vocal Coach
Stephen was organ scholar at Trinity College Cambridge, where he gave a recital of the complete works of Messiaen. He made his debut as a conductor at Glyndebourne with The Rakes Progress in 1979 and was Associate Conductor of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera between 1981and 1983. He was also Resident Conductor of English...
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Mark Bebbington
Piano Tutor
The critical plaudits which have greeted Mark Bebbington’s performances and recordings have singled him out as a British pianist of the rarest refinement and maturity. Now internationally recognised as a champion of British music, Mark has given concert and CD premieres of major British composers, including Vaughan Williams,...
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Helen Benson
Piccolo Tutor
Helen Benson was appointed Principal Piccolo of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 2022 and enjoys a varied career of performing and teaching both piccolo and flute around the U.K. Before moving to Birmingham, Helen was based in Norway for eight years as 2nd flute/piccolo of Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. During her...
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Catherine Benson
Vocal Tutor
Catherine Benson studied at Chethams School of Music and then The Guildhall School of Music , studying with Noelle Barker. She spent three years at the Guildhall gaining her AGSM and a further two years on the opera course under the guidance of Vilem Tausky. After Guildhall, she embarked on a successful freelance career...