People
Mark Gateshill was
born and brought up in South London where he began studying violin with
Helen and Douglas Paterson at the age of ten.
From London his family moved to Surrey where he played for Surrey
County Youth Orchestra. He then went on to study Music at the
University
of Exeter where he led both the Symphony Orchestra and Chamber
Orchestras. It was through these ensembles that he was given the
opportunity
to start conducting on a regular basis - including conducting the
Chamber Orchestra on their tour of Estonia. On graduating Mark took up
a
post as a Graduate Music assistant at Wells Cathedral School for
two years. In September 2009 he took up conducting posts as Musical
Director with Frome Symphony and Winscombe Orchestras, and in
January 2010 he was appointed Head of Strings and violin teacher at
Bristol
Cathedral Choir School. Mark currently teaches violin, coaches
the string quartet and conducts the county youth orchestra for North
Somerset
Music Service, the North Somerset Sinfonia, with whom he has toured Germany and Poland. He is also a member of the funky horn,
violin
and oboe trio Ensemble 3 who specialise in outreach and community
based projects. This is all combined with playing regularly throughout
the
region as a freelance violinist.
Orchestra leader, Christopher Evans
Christopher Evans was born in Pretoria, South Africa and began playing the violin at the age of 9. At 15 years old he moved to Cardiff, to complete GCSEs and A Levels, where he played in the Rhondda Symphony Orchestra for several years. In 2009 he began studying a Bachelor of Arts in Music at Bath Spa University where he began to develop as a professional violinist, achieving a 1st class honours in his degree and gaining the highest recital mark in his final year. Throughout his time in Bath Chris has studied the violin under Professor Robert Turrell. He is currently studying a MMus in Performance at Bath Spa University and is leader of the Frome Symphony Orchestra.
Christopher Evans was born in Pretoria, South Africa and began playing the violin at the age of 9. At 15 years old he moved to Cardiff, to complete GCSEs and A Levels, where he played in the Rhondda Symphony Orchestra for several years. In 2009 he began studying a Bachelor of Arts in Music at Bath Spa University where he began to develop as a professional violinist, achieving a 1st class honours in his degree and gaining the highest recital mark in his final year. Throughout his time in Bath Chris has studied the violin under Professor Robert Turrell. He is currently studying a MMus in Performance at Bath Spa University and is leader of the Frome Symphony Orchestra.
Soprano soloist for our next Concert, Esther Mallett:
Esther Mallett recently graduated from The Queen’s College, Oxford where she read Music, and held the Maurice Pearton Choral Scholarship. Whilst studying, she appeared as a soloist in performances of Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri, Bach’s St John Passion, Faure’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah. She sang Linfea La Calisto and Coridon Acis and Galatea in concert performances of the operas. Fully staged operatic performances included The Fisherman’s Wife in The Golden Fish (a role written for her in an opera created by Oxford University Students in conjunction with Garsington Opera), Tullia in Ottone in Villa and Cupid in Orpheus in the Underworld for New Chamber Opera Studio. She is currently rehearsing for a production of Dido and Aeneas in Oxford, in which she will sing Belinda.
Esther now works as a singing teacher and graduate music assistant at The Oratory School, a position which she combines with freelance work as a singer. Recent projects have included tours abroad, to Germany with The Blenheim Singers and Portugal with A Capella Portuguesa. Esther will also appear as soprano soloist on the forthcoming Queen’s College Chapel Choir recording of David Bednall’s Welcome All Wonders. She currently studies with Ashley Stafford.
Esther now works as a singing teacher and graduate music assistant at The Oratory School, a position which she combines with freelance work as a singer. Recent projects have included tours abroad, to Germany with The Blenheim Singers and Portugal with A Capella Portuguesa. Esther will also appear as soprano soloist on the forthcoming Queen’s College Chapel Choir recording of David Bednall’s Welcome All Wonders. She currently studies with Ashley Stafford.
