Biography

From a very young age, Kate got the bug for making music. She began learning the piano at the age of 7, and took up the cello at 10, and quickly went onto become the youngest member of West Sussex County Youth Orchestra. At 12, Kate auditioned for Pro Corda (National School for young chamber music players), which she attended twice yearly, studying under world class chamber musicians, including Ian Brown from the Nash Ensemble, and James Kirby from the Barbican Trio, who went on to become her piano teacher. Kate was fortunate enough to be granted a scholarship from West Sussex County Council, which enabled her to attend the Junior Royal College of Music until she was 18 years old.

Kate went to Bath Spa University to carry on her studies in music, where she gained BA (hons) in Music. She trained under Ruth Zagni on cello, and John Parry on the piano. During her course, Kate performed a number of solo and chamber concerts, accompanied fellow students on the piano for exams and rehearsals, and held the position of Principal Cellist in the University Orchestra. In her final year, Kate won the concerto competition, and performed Saint Saens’ 1st Concerto in the Assembly Rooms in Bath.

After completing her degree, Kate took up a professional position at Bath Spa University, teaching piano, piano accompaniment, and Principal Cellist in the University Orchestra. She also began teaching Cello in King Edward’s School in Bath, and has over the years built up a private tuition practise. Kate often plays freelance for various orchestras around the South West, including Bath Philharmonia.

More recently, Kate successfully auditioned for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and returned to her educational career allowing her to study cello with Richard May. During her year long study she performed a number of concerts, including one very special concert in St David’s Hall, with Joshua Bell, conducted by the great Maxim Vengerov.

Chamber music has always been Kate’s first love, on either cello or piano. For a number of years Kate performed with the Bath Spa String Quartet, and has gone on to work with the Bristol String Quartet. Recent performances from the Bristol String Quartet have been Elgar’s Piano Quintet, and Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major. Kate recently joined the Sulis Ensemble, and performed Dvorak’s String Quintet in G major in the Corsham Festival.

Always looking for new music to play, Kate joined up with Bristol sing-songwriter Phil King and went onto record two albums with him. She has also performed with another Bristol based singer-songwriter Gavin Thorpe and his new album ‘Rollin’ on’ has recently been released. Kate has now joined forces with another singer-songwriter Jane Taylor, and has performed a number of gigs, in Scotland, Bristol, Devon, Nottingham, and is due to go on tour later on in the year.

Kate has always loved accompanying on the piano, and accompanies for a number of instrumental teachers in the South West for their pupils instrumental exams, as well as Post Graduate exams and concerts.

Recording credits.