Geoff Cutler, Viola
What instrument do you play? Viola. How long have you been playing? 45 years total, 10 years violin, 35 years viola. How long have you played with OSJ? 6 years. What is your favourite piece of music? Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, I was fortunate enough to attend a performance given by Simon Rattle and the Berlin Phil at the Philharmonie a few years ago and was mesmerised by the sheer scale and power of the piece….truly memorable. What was your most memorable performance? It's got to be between Brahms Piano Concerto with Stephen Hough and the Sinfonia of Birmingham in April 2013 and Elgar Violin Concerto with Charlotte Moseley/Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Worcester Cathedral with OSJ. Where and what would you like to perform but haven’t yet? As an amateur musician I’ve been lucky enough to play in some great concert halls including the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall, St John’s Smith Square, Symphony Hall and Birmingham Town Hall. I would love to play in the Vienna Musikverein or the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The only Mahler symphony I have not played is No.9 so i would love to play that. Who is your favourite composer? I think you may be able to guess that it is Mahler. What is your favourite part about playing in OSJ? Playing in OSJ is musically and socially rewarding, we get to play some great music and have fun doing so, exactly what amateur music making is about. |
Naomi Shiono-Bunting,
Violin What instrument do you play? Violin. How long have you been playing and why did you choose your instrument? I’ve been playing 30 years and I started playing because it was one of the few choices given to me at junior school and I passed the audition! How long have you played with OSJ? A few years...? What is your favourite piece of music? I don’t have a favourite piece. There are many I love! What was your most memorable performance? Recently, Rite of Spring with Kimichi Community Symphony Orchestra in the Elgar Concert Hall. Where and what would you like to perform but haven’t yet? I’d love to play in Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and a little further away, Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. One of the first symphonies I played was Tchaikovsky Symphony No.2 and I’d love to revisit it. Who is your favourite composer? Tchaikovsky ❤️ What is your favourite part about playing in OSJ? Everything! The players are so friendly, the audience is lovely and it’s always great fun to be playing with them. |
Kate Cowell, 'Cello
What instrument do you play? Cello How long have you been playing and why did you choose your instrument? That'll be, ahem, 45 years ... It was suggested to me as - hard to believe now - I was tall at the age of 10, and all the violins were taken. Also, my mother thought I bore a resemblance to Jacqueline du Pre.. How long have you played with OSJ? Five years. What is your favourite piece of music? I cannot narrow it down to one piece, but anything I played as part of the Nottinghamshire County Youth Orchestra (1980-85) has special memories: Firebird, Rite of Spring, Mahler 9, Rachmaninov 2, Brahms Piano Concerto No.1. What was your most memorable performance? Playing a movement of one of the Bach solo cello suites in a packed Hereford Cathedral. Where and what would you like to perform but haven’t yet? I've never played at Symphony Hall in Birmingham and would want to play something massive that used the organ for a 'wall of sound'! Who is your favourite composer? It sounds pretentious, but I keep returning to Bach. What is your favourite part about playing in OSJ? Being conducted by a cellist who shares a wealth of professional orchestral experience and in doing so makes better players of us all. |
Ben Moseley, 'Cello
What instrument do you play? Cello How long have you been playing and why did you choose your instrument? 13 years. I chose it because it’s so versatile - being able to play high in the treble clef as well as low in the bass. How long have you played with OSJ? About four years. What is your favourite piece of music? Alpine Symphony by Strauss. What was your most memorable performance? Performing Alpine Symphony in Symphony Hall with the CBSO Youth Orchestra. Where and what would you like to perform but haven’t yet? I'd love to perform Grieg Piano Concerto. Who is your favourite composer? Grieg. What is your favourite part about playing in OSJ? The friendly atmosphere and the quality of music we produce . |
Victoria Lee, Violin
What instrument do you play? Violin. How long have you been playing and why did you choose your instrument? I started playing the violin when I was nine. I loved music at primary school and taught myself to play all the recorders. I was desperate to learn flute but instead was offered the clarinet, which I enjoyed learning but just wasn’t me. Then one day someone came round to our classroom and asked if anyone would like to learn to play the violin. I jumped at the chance and started learning with Linda Fowler, now a fellow OSJ violinist, and haven’t looked back. How long have you played with OSJ? I’ve been playing with OSJ for a few years now. I wasn’t in the orchestra from the start, but joined not long after. What is your favourite piece of music? That is such a difficult question to answer. It really does depend on my mood - anything from early music through to modern day dance music and more chilled non-classical music (lo-fi hip hop being a recent find!). However, I do love the Sibelius symphonies, and will always leap at the chance to play Sibelius 2. What was your most memorable performance? There have been a few memorable ones, but one real highlight was coming on stage at the Royal Albert Hall with King Edward VI College Sinfonia to perform in the first movement of Gershwin Piano Concerto at a Schools’ Prom Finale concert many moons ago. The atmosphere was truly electric. Where and what would you like to perform but haven’t yet? Gosh that’s a difficult one. I don’t really have any great ambitions to perform in a particular venue or a particular work. There are so many wonderful performances to come though, I am sure, including a Rite of Spring tour to Prague with OSJ’s Principal Cellist and her amazing Kimichi group. Who is your favourite composer? That one’s too difficult! What is your favourite part about playing in OSJ? I love working and performing with such a friendly bunch of great amateur musicians. I am privileged to usually sit really close to our leader and learn a huge amount from watching how she plays and leads. |
Chris Bertram, Viola
What instrument do you play? Viola. How long have you been playing and why did you choose your instrument? Since about 1977 - I moved from being a violinist, though I still played violin for a while. How long have you played with OSJ? Since 2012, I think. What is your favourite piece of music? It varies. At the moment I'm listening to Das Rheingold by Wagner. What was your most memorable performance? Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahler's 8th Symphony, March 2016, Symphony Hall Birmingham. Where and what would you like to perform but haven’t yet? Royal Albert Hall, Job, A Masque for Dancing (Vaughan Williams) Who is your favourite composer? Vaughan Williams. What is your favourite part about playing in OSJ? It's fun! And we get new perspectives on familiar classics, plus great soloists for the concertos we do (Charlotte, you can put my £50 in a brown envelope ...) |