Anna Stokes

The Emanuel Ensemble perform an array of pieces suitable for formal concerts ranging from baroque through to contemporary music.

The Emanuel Ensemble not only perform music suitable for formal concerts, but have a wide range of music suitable for weddings and corporate functions etc. The quartet perform an array of music including  'Light / jazzy', 'Popular Classical' and 'Standard Classical' music by composers listed below.

If you would like more information on the repertoire we perform or would like us to perform specific pieces at your event, we will endeavour to accommodate your requests. Please refer to the 'Contact Us' page on this website.

Andrew Joyce was born in Norwich in 1982 and began studying the cello at the age of 7 with Barry Wright. At the age of 11 he was awarded a place at the Purcell School of Music, where his teachers were Amanda Truelove and Michal Kaznowski (Maggini Quartet). Andrew continued his studies at the Royal College of Music as a Scholar supported by South Square Trust & Frederick Johnston Awards and graduated with a BMus (Hons) and a PG Dip with Distinction. Whilst there, he won several prizes and was principal cellist of all the major RCM ensembles working with many eminent musicians including Bernard Haitink & Gordan Nikolitch. He was also accepted on the LSO String Experience Scheme and in July 2004 was awarded the PROMIS award for the most outstanding potential shown on the Scheme. Having been awarded the DAAD Scholarship, Andrew went on to study in Lübeck with Troels Svane.

Andrew has taken part in masterclasses both in Britain & abroad with Alexander Baillie, David Geringas, Bernard Greenhouse, Alexander Rudin, Karine Georgian, Natalia Gutman, Leonid Gorokhov, the Kopelman Quartet & the Takacs Quartet.

Andrew has a busy performance schedule giving performances across the country both as soloist & chamber musician. Highlights include a performance with Rainer Sonne (Concert Master of Berlin Philharmonic) and Igor Sulyga (Kopelman Quartet) and a tour to Costa Rica with the Covent Garden Soloists. Andrew has been on trial for Principal Cello of Northern Sinfonia & with the LSO and freelances regularly with the LPO & RPO.

"...astonishing technical command, incredibly energetic and dynamic...she made the violin sing out with such sweetness and urgency it seemed the instrument was part of her...intoxicating!" Madeline Clements, Surrey Advertiser

Born in 1981 in Cardiff, South Wales, Cerys Jones is an award winning violinist highly sought after for her honest, fresh approach to the repertoire and her dynamic musical personality. Equally in demand as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader, Cerys continues to perform extensively across the UK and Europe.

After spending the last two years studying with Lewis Kaplan, Professor of Violin at the Juilliard School, in New York City, Cerys has returned to the Royal College of Music in London to take the prestigious Artist Diploma course studying with Gordan Nikolich, Lewis Kaplan and Madeleine Mitchell. Cerys originally graduated as a scholar from the RCM in 2004 with the highest distinction, and during her studentship she has won numerous prizes including the Sidney Perry Award from the Philharmonia Orchestra/Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, the Kenneth Loveland Gift, Artist of the Countess of Munster, the Ryan Davies Award and the John Fussell Award for an outstanding UK Young Artist.

Cerys is a strong advocate of new music - a characteristic which is reflected in her diverse programmes and her enthusiasm to premiere new works. This has lead to invitations to perform in International Contemporary Music Festivals in the UK, Holland, Italy and Lebanon. Cerys has won a BBC Bursary Award to commission today’s eminent composers from different countries across the world to write new works for her. This project will be sponsored and promoted by the BBC, and will form part of a PhD that Cerys will complete over the next four years. Cerys has recently become the recipient of two presitgious awards -  the Hattori Foundation have offered a generous award to contribute to the BBC project, and the Solti Foundation have awarded Cerys with a prize to facilitate the professional recording of the new commissions. 

Cerys enjoys collaborating with a variety of distinguished artists, including violinist Philippe Graffin, violist Asdis Valdimarsdottir, cellists Colin Carr and Julian Lloyd Webber, and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Most recently Cerys has established a duo with Welsh pianist Llyr Williams, giving their debut recital together at the Brangwyn Hall in October 2006.

As an orchestral leader Cerys is proud to work regularly with Sinfonia Cymru, conducted by Gareth Jones. Cerys'  beautiful violin is kindly on loan from Mr Lewis Kaplan. It was made in 2003 by J.C.Finnanzza.
www.cerysjones.org

Born in 1980 near Munich, Germany, Nicholas Bootiman began learning piano at the age of four and violin at six. His family returned to England when he was seven, where he continued music lessons locally. At the age of 16 Nicholas won a scholarship to the Purcell School of Music, where he began viola lessons, and continuing to the Royal College of Music in London, he earned his Bachelor degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance with Distinction. During this time he participated in an exchange to the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Czech Republic. In 2006 he completed his Masters degree in Viola Performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston, U.S.A. As soloist,

Nicholas recently performed the Viola Concerto by Penderecki with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project in Jordan Hall, Boston. He was a winner of a special prize at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition 2006.

 
Whilst a student at the Royal College of Music, Nicholas started his orchestral career, playing with many British orchestras including the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, B.B.C. Symphony, B.B.C. Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, Royal Scottish National, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom he has recorded and toured extensively throughout Europe, America and the Far East. As a chamber musician, he has been a member of prize-winning string quartets, and works regularly with various London-based ensembles. He has performed in most major British concert halls and has played for the British Royal Family, both in public and by private invitation. His teachers were Kim Kashkashian, Milan Škampa, Ian Jewel and Andriy Viytovich. Also an award winning composer, Nicholas still writes music as a hobby when he finds the time.

Winner of the Prix Spécial in the 8ème Concours International Jean Françaix in Paris, the British pianist Simon Callaghan is establishing an impressive career as a concert pianist, performing around the United Kingdom and abroad to high critical acclaim.  Recent public performance highlights include concertos by Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Grieg, Liszt, Mozart and Rachmaninov, including a début with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Gerard Schwarz.

Simon Callaghan’s busy performing schedule has recently featured a tour of South Korea playing piano trios, a duo recital at the Royal Opera House and a gala concert with English National Opera principals.  He has also given solo and chamber music recitals in Austria (Mozarteum), Belgium (De Rode Pomp), France, Japan, Sri Lanka and on classical music tours worldwide.

Callaghan’s keen interest in the promotion of rare music has led to recent performances of works by Sterndale Bennett, Parry, W.T.Best and J. Françaix.  He was invited by the Belgian ‘Rode Pomp’ label to record a disc of English solo piano music, which was released in Spring 2008.  In the 2006/7 season Simon directed a series of concerts commemorating the 250^th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, playing the glorious piano concertos in the composer’s own arrangements for piano and string quartet.

Following his studies at Chetham's School of Music with Bernard Roberts (from 2000-2), Simon Callaghan became a scholar at the Royal College of Music studying under Yonty Solomon, from where he recently graduated with First Class Honours and won numerous prizes.  He has appeared on BBC Television channels 1, 2 and 3 as well as BBC Radio. He has received invaluable guidance from several eminent international artists including Dmitri Alexeev, Noretta Conci, Claude Frank, Stephen Hough, Peter Lawson and Sir Roger Norrington.  He now studies privately with Frank Wibaut.

 
Forthcoming engagements include return visits to South Korea and Belgium and recitals on cruise ships in the USA, the Baltic and South Africa.  He also plans to perform Beethoven’s complete Violin Sonatas with Cerys Jones and will give concerts at Chetham’s School of Music, the RCM and at St. John’s, Smith Square.  Please visit:- www.simoncallaghan.com

The Emanuel Ensemble have given recitals at venues including:

Wigmore Hall
Purcell Room - Southbank
Cadogan Hall, London - Sir James Galway Masterclass
St Martin-in-the-fields
Schubert Society of Great Britain
Leeds International Concert Series
Amersham Concert Club
Letchworth Concert Society
St George's Church  -Hanover Square
Kensington Palace, National Gallery
V & A Museum 
St James’s Palace

The Emanuel Ensemble can be heard on the soundtrack of a film by "Eighty Six 400 Productions" entitled "In a day" directed by Evan Richards (2005/06) . Screenings have taken place at festivals including "First festival Cinequest", Longbaugh Film Festival in Portland Oregon, Method Fest - Los Angeles (winning BEST SCREENPLAY - EVAN RICHARDS and nominated for BEST ACTRESS - LORRAINE PILKINGTON) The film will also play at the Cannes Film Festival Market in May as well as festivals including the popular UK festival FILMSTOCK in June. http://www.inadaymovie.com 

                                                                                   
They have also provided music for numerous weddings and corporate functions which is categorized into two lists below.

Emanuel Ensemble have performed at hotels including:

Emanuel Ensemble have performed at venues / events including:

Kensington Palace (Queens Gallery and The Orangery)
St James's Palace Queens Anniversary Prizes for further education ( In the presence of royalty)
Royal College of Art
V & A Museum - Belle Shenkman RecitalV & A Museum opening of the new gardens in the presence of HRH Prince Charles
Esther Rantzens Surprise Birthday Party
National Gallery Wednesday Late
Natural History Museum Functions 
Young Euro Classic Reception, Berlin
City Hall - reception hosted by Ken Livingstone
London Masquerade Ball 2005
UCL Awards Ceremony for University of London
Grosvenor Corporate Function
Association of British Orchestras Conference
Oxford Brookes University Freshers Ball
Homerton Hospital Conference
Concert at an Art Gallery in Chesham, Bucks
Royal Institute of Architects & Tesco Store Openings Reception
Arts & Business Workshop
Music Soiree D'or in Ascot - Private party
Kensington Bandstands - Kensington Gardens Concert
Summer party for the Guild of Health Writers
National Gallery - Central Hall Concert