Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Tutors and Staff (A to Z)
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Dr Joanna Bullivant
Lecturer in Music
Joanna joined RBC in September 2023, having previously worked at the University of Oxford, the University of Nottingham, and King’s College London. Joanna’s research centres on nineteenth- and twentieth-century British music, particularly musical and cultural histories of minority groups. She has published widely on British...
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Sarah Burnett
Bassoon Consultant
Sarah is an active freelance orchestral player working with a wide variety of orchestras nationwide. She is currently Principal Bassoon of Glyndebourne Touring Opera and Britten Sinfonia, having joined the latter in 2002. Amongst others, she has played as guest principal for the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC National...
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Cormac Byrne
Percussion Tutor (Rhythm & World Percussion)
Cormac Byrne is a bodhrán player and percussionist from Waterford, Ireland and is now based in the UK. He has received many awards for his work including The BBC Young Folk Award and was winner of the BBC Fame Academy Education Bursary in 2006. Cormac has appeared at numerous festivals around the world and has toured...
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Emmet Byrne
Oboe Tutor
Emmet Byrne is from Waterford, Ireland and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. After graduating in 2003, he gained a scholarship from the German Government (DAAD), enabling him to pursue postgraduate studies at the Hochschule fur Musik in Cologne. Emmet has been Principal Second Oboe with the City of...
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Professor George Caird
Oboe Tutor
Following study in London and Cambridge, George Caird pursued a freelance career as an oboist which included orchestral playing, chamber music and solo engagements. He has worked with many of London’s major orchestras including the London Philharmonic , BBC Symphony and City of London Sinfonia and particularly as a member of...
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Jiafeng Chen
Violin Tutor
Violinist Jiafeng Chen was hailed in the English press who is "not only technically brilliant but also subtle, deeply felt and astonishingly mature" (Nottingham Evening Post). He has been heard as a soloist with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera National de Nancy,...
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Dr Carrie Churnside
Associate Professor in Music & Research Degrees Coordinator
Carrie Churnside is Associate Professor in Music and Research Degrees Coordinator. She is also Director of the Forum for Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Music , and Chair of the Programme Committee for the 19 th Biennial International Conference on Baroque Music. Carrie specialises in Italian Baroque music,...
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Diane Clark
Flute Tutor
Diane enjoys a busy and varied career, and is in much demand as a flautist, teacher and workshop leader. As well as being principal flute of the Orchestra of the Swan, Birmingham Opera company and Mid-Wales Opera, she has worked with other leading orchestras and ensembles including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra,...
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Sara Colman
Jazz Vocals Tutor
2009 saw the release of Sara's new album 'Ready' and it is a perfect example of a singer comfortable in her skin, confident in her instrument and experienced in the genre. Having grown up with music it was inevitable that Sara would take that as her profession. She started on piano and had brief encounters with double bass,...
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Margaret Cookhorn
Contra bassoon tutor (only)
Margaret is Principal Contrabassoon and Bassoon with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Margaret joined the CBSO immediately after finishing her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. As well as regularly working with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Margaret has played with many of the leading...