ABOUT US

ROSE STREET QUARTET - POTTED HISTORY

The Rose Street Quartet was founded in 1998 to provide a creative performing outlet for four then students at the Faculty of Music in the University of Edinburgh. A strong bond was formed, and the group began to receive bookings for outside engagements.

To secure their tight-knit performance skills, they took to the streets of Edinburgh and wowed locals and tourists alike.

Although two of the original line-up are no longer based in Edinburgh the group’s high standards have been maintained, along with their exuberance and energy, through careful selection of an ever-increasing number of freelance players.

PRINCIPALS

Liz Ford - Violin/Viola/Triangle

Originally from Kingston Upon Hull, Liz began her musical training with her parents. She began studying the violin at the age of four under the tuition of Mary Goodman before embarking on advanced viola tuition under Paul Mountain. Liz was awarded Salinger and University of Edinburgh academic scholarships to read music at the University of Edinburgh where she graduated in 2002 with Honours. It was here that an interest in Arts Management developed, and she not only led the viola sections of all of the university (and many local) ensembles, but was - and still is - highly active in the running of such organisations. Currently Courses & Events Organiser for the University of Edinburgh, Liz maintains her prolific musical activities as freelance string player, orchestral fixer and concerts manager. Liz is co-founder and partner of the Rose Street Quartet.

Pete Harvey - 'Cello/Triangle

Born in North Yorkshire, Pete was, for a long time, the only member of his family permitted to play for the county's reputed cricket team. Having shown no aptitude for sport, however, he began playing the cello at the age of eight, and went on to study music at Edinburgh University, graduating in 2003 with honours. Pete has played and toured with many great artists as a session cellist. As a founder member of Khaya/Desc/The Leg, Pete has toured and recorded in America, Holland, Germany and Alun's bedroom. He has also recorded several sessions for the late great John Peel. As a copyist, arranger and music setter, Pete has worked for the likes of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Jonathan Mills, director of the Edinburgh International Festival and is currently setting score and parts for Scottish Ballet's new commission from Robert Moran, Alice in Wonderland. After 12 years in Edinburgh, he recently relocated to Perthshire, whence he works across Scotland as a freelance 'cellist and arranger. Pete is co-founder and partner of the Rose Street Quartet.

Gli altri

Liz Beeston - Violin Elizabeth Beeston - Studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Richard Deakin, and with Warren Jacobs at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She has performed with most of the UK's leading orchestras, and currently works with the RSNO and Scottish Ballet amongst others, and teaches at Merchiston Castle School and the City of Edinburgh Music School. She is 2nd violinist and a founder member of the Cadell Quartet, who have toured Scotland extensively to great critical acclaim. She plays a violin by Giovanni Svarzi.
Mike Beeston - Violin/Viola Michael Beeston - a student of Frederick Riddle at the Royal Manchester College of Music, Michael has been the violist of the celebrated Edinburgh Quartet since 1971, with who he has toured all over the world. In addition to regular appearances with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and others, he holds several teaching posts and has taken students at RSAMD, St Mary's Music School, City of Edinburgh Music School and the North East of Scotland Music School for many years. His viola is by Josef Albani.
Robert Dick - Violin/Viola Born in Edinburgh in 1975, Robert studied violin and piano at the Royal College of Music in London where he graduated with Honours in 1997, and also gained the Associateship Diploma of the Royal College of Music in Violin Performance. As a violin and viola soloist, he has performed concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Bruch and Brahms and has extensively toured Europe as an orchestral player in venues including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, The Hofburg Palace in Vienna and the Royal Albert Hall in London. In addition, he has freelanced with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Scottish Concert Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Scotland. Robert is also an international award winning conductor, and is currently waving for/at the Dundee Symphony Orchestra, the Edinburgh Philharmonic Orchestra and Fife Opera.
Katie Duffy - Violin Biography coming soon.
Lawrence Dunn - Violin/Viola Lawrence studied violin in Edinburgh and Manchester. He gives regular solo and chamber recitals during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and throughout Scotland on both modern and baroque instruments. He has freelanced with various orchestras including the Scottish Baroque Players, City of Glasgow Symphony Orchestra and Newcastle Baroque. He has been leader of the Edinburgh Light Orchestra and Director of Philomusica of Edinburgh since 1999. He also works outside the field of classical music, having taken part in Celtic Connections, toured with the band "The Pearlfishers", and recently appeared as a Pictish Druid in BBC Scotland's "Scotland' History" series.
Simon Graham - Violin Born in Aberdeen, Simon began studying the violin at the age of 8. At 15 he attended St Maryís Music School, Edinburgh, before going on to gain his Bachelor of Music and Post-Graduate Diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music, studying violin with Richard Ireland and chamber music with Dr Christopher Rowland. After completing his time at the RNCM Simon worked as a freelance musician and until recently held the position of Principal 2nd Violin in the Orquesta Sinfonica Sinaloa de Las Artes, Culiacan, Mexico. During this time he led the orchestra's string quartet and appeared in The Northern Lights Music Festival, Ajijic, Mexico.
Tony Kime - Violin Tony Kime was born in Grantham and five years later was bought a tin violin after seeing a piano trio in a restaurant. He played it without mercy until he was given a proper wooden one. He later gained an honours BMus, studying composition with David Harries, violin with Edward Bor, and orchestration with Ian Parrott. After 30 years with the BBC as a music recording engineer, he is now retired and gives most of his time to playing and composing. A collection of his traditional Scottish arrangements for quartet, together with original pieces, has recently been published in America.
Kate Miguda - Violin Kate Miguda grew up in Edinburgh before studying with Richard Ireland and Maciej Rakowski at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she gained her Bachelor of Music degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in performance. Whilst there, she also took part in masterclasses with Lorand Fenyves and Leland Chen. As a freelance violinist she has played with the Halle, RLPO and Opera North amongst other orchestras. She is currently studying part time towards a Masters in Musicology at Edinburgh University.
Jackie Norrie - Violin Aberdeen born and bred, Jackie studied violin with Kenneth Piper at the Royal College of Music. She freelanced widely in London before joining the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Subsequently she has worked in many milieux, including several orchestras nationally and internationally, chamber groups and jazz/folk collaborations. Since returning to Scotland, she works primarily for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Scottish Ballet. Her violin in by Helen Michetschlager.
Elsie Orr - Violin Elspeth Orr adds a multi-national dimension to the Rose Street Quartet, as the only Northern Irish member (so far!) Born and bred in Belfast, Elspeth studied the violin at the City of Belfast School of Music and played in its Youth Orchestra. She also studied at the Methodist College Belfast, where she was a member of the Hewitt String Quartet and leader of the Senior Orchestra. Elspeth read Music at Edinburgh University, graduating with honours in 2002. She recently completed her Post Graduate Certificate in Education, and is currently working as a Probationer Teacher of Music in Inverkeithing High School.
Sarah Rimer - Violin Sarah Rimer was born and bred in Edinburgh, educated at George Heriot's and St. Mary's Music School and studied at Christ Church, Oxford and the Royal College of Music, London. As a freelance violinist, she has played regularly with the Northern Sinfonia, the Orchestra of Scottish Opera and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and has also performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Ensemble and Ludus Baroque. She has most recently completed a PGCE at Edinburgh University and is teaching music to secondary school pupils at Lasswade High School. Sarah also teaches violin at St. Mary's Music School on a Saturday morning.
Jake Spence - Violin Jake was born in Oxford in 1975 and was brought up in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. He began learning the violin at the age of four under the tuition of Jean Provine before moving to more advanced tuition under Marion Hillier and Martin Hughes. On completing his A-levels he studied for a degree of Bachelor of Music at the University in which he graduated with First Class Honours. Having completed his Masters of Music, Jake has recently embarked on a PhD in composition at the University of Edinburgh. Jake is also a keen folk fiddler and can regularly be seen playing at the Royal Oak in Edinburgh.
Fiona Stephen - Violin Biography coming soon.
Claire Stranger-Ford - Violin Biography coming soon.
Dan Wedgwood - Violin/Viola Dan Wedgwood was brought up in Doncaster, learning violin from the age of seven. He was leader of the City of Sheffield Youth Orchestra before moving to Edinburgh, as a student, in 1991. A founder member and subsequently leader of the Edinburgh University String Orchestra, he played in all of the university's orchestras and in numerous chamber music concerts during his time as an undergraduate and postgraduate student. Between 1995 and 1998, he played violin and viola in the State Philharmonic of Sibiu, while working as a lecture and English teacher in Romania - an impressive and visually spectacular feat for a man of his stature. Dan now works as a Research Fellow in theoretical linguistics at the University of Edinburgh and plays regularly with ensembles such as Edinburgh Symphony Baroque and the Edinburgh Philharmonic Orchestra.
Jim Lowe - Viola James was brought up in Nottingham where he was born in 1976. He began studying the viola at the age of thirteen under John White. He studied for a degree of Bachelor of Music at the University of Edinburgh where he graduated in 1999 with First Class Honours. It was here that an interest in conducting developed, and James not only played in many of the university ensembles but was also conductor of the String Orchestra, the medics' Choir and the Music Society Choir, to name but a few. Having spent a year in Boston as an associate conductor under Benjamin Zander, James is now based in Edinburgh and freelancing as a conductor and violist.	Photo coming soon.
Alison Lucas - Viola From an early age Alison sang in operettas such as The Dragon of Tangly Mountain but was persuaded for the greater good to take up an instrument! At the age of eight she started playing the viola at primary school in Edinburgh and went on to study at the RSAMD and Napier College. She has taught and freelanced for many years, playing and recording all types of music including pop music with the Glasgow based band The Pearlfishers, and is a regular performer at Celtic Connections.	Photo coming soon.
Julian Marshall - Viola Ex-professional Viola player (2 years in Sicily, 3 years in Liverpool with RLPO), studied Music at Cambridge University followed by post-graduate year at National Centre for Orchestral Studies. Changed direction just over 20 years ago, since when have worked in IT and lived in Edinburgh. Principal Viola for Scottish Sinfonia for nearly all of that time. Have played the Telemann Viola Concerto and Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with the late David Hume and Philomusica, and the Walton Viola Concerto with Scottish Sinfonia. Also enjoy singing tenor at St Giles, trying to play the Violin, arranging for String Quartet and Badminton.	Photo coming soon.
Tom Prentice - Viola Tom first studied in Edinburgh with David Hume then at the RSAMD with Jimmy Durrant. He was based in London for many years playing for orchestras, shows, folk groups, rock groups and silence-based collectives. He is currently working on the dialectical tension between gut and electricity.
Clea Friend - 'Cello Clea studied at Edinburgh University and then at Eastman School of Music in America. She sees her role as a musician not just as a performing cellist but as a community musician and educator - facilitating all kinds of people to use music as an expressive and communicative tool. She plays frequently with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and recently went on tour with them to India. Future projects include a collaboration with the dancer Michael Popper and composer Nigel Osborne at Dance Base in Edinburgh.	Photo coming soon.
Robin Mason - 'Cello Robin is a freelance cellist based in Edinburgh working in diverse musical fields. As a recitalist he is currently working with Marylin Boulton (piano); as orchestral player with Scottish Ballet; with the DPJ Ensemble he has played at the Wigmore Hall, London, and the opening of the Sage, Gateshead. He regularly plays with jazz-impro 4tet Steve Kettley's Odd Times, and has worked regularly as a theatre musician (National Theatre of Scotland, Catherine Wheels, Benchtours etc.) There have been some composing commissions in recent years - for film, drama, installations and a birthday party. He is also active in the community; in 2007, Robin ran a series of music workshops for adults with learning difficulties at day centres in East Lothian culminating in performances at the Brunton Theatre.
Lucy Perry - 'Cello Biography coming soon.
Mary Robb - 'Cello Mary Robb read historical musicology at King's College, London, graduating in 2005 with BMus first class honours and was awarded Distinction for her Masters degree in contemporary music from Goldsmith's College, University of London. Alongside her academic research, she studied cello at the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Lionel Handy. In 2006 she earned a place to study with Moray Welsh at the LSO Strings Academy and has been awarded the LRSM in cello performance. She currently enjoys playing with Camerata Scotland orchestra (Principal since 2006) and studying for her AHRC funded Ph.D on the American composer, Miriam Gideon.
Caroline Hood - Soprano Caroline was born in Edinburgh and began her singing career as a member of the junior choir of the Waverley Singers, conducted by Pamela Duncan. She joined the choir of St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh at the age of 16 and went on to sing with the University Chapel Choir while studying in Glasgow. Caroline then travelled to Australia where she sang with the renowned choir of Christ Church St Laurence in Sydney, and subsequently joined them for a week in London as guest choir in residence at Westminster Abbey. She continues to sing at St. Giles and is a member of the Calton Consort, under the musical directorship of Jason Orringe. Caroline has sung on tour throughout the U.K as well as in Greece and France, and is soon to travel to the U.S.A and Canada to perform the soprano solo in Britten's "Rejoice in the Lamb", among other choral works. Caroline has performed with a variety of groups including Edinburgh Camerata, Glasgow University Madrigirls, Glasgow Cathedral Choral Society, Edinburgh Symphony Baroque and Schola Cantorum. Her solo repertoire ranges from having performed Vivaldi's "Gloria" with the Scottish Ensemble as part of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations to giving private recitals of chamber music for voice, clarinet and piano.	Photo coming soon.