Who’s Who
Robert Hodge – Musical Director
Robert Hodge is the Musical Director of the City of Cambridge Symphony Orchestra (CCSO), Genesis Chorale and Guest Conductor of Suffolk Sinfonia. He is also acting Musical Director for the East Regional Orchestra of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain. 2011/12 will see him making his debut with the Royal College of Music Junior Department and Havant Symphony Orchestra, with whom he is the current holder of the Bob Harding Bursary for Young Conductors.
Born in Pembrokeshire, Robert read music at Royal Holloway, University of London where he studied piano with James Kirby, violin with Alex Wood, and conducting with Levon Parikian. He then won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music where he now studies conducting with Peter Stark and Robin O’Neill.
At the RCM Robert works regularly with the Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras, preparing for, and assisting many eminent visiting conductors. He will also be conducting the newly formed Parry Orchestra as part of his role as Musical Director of the Students’ Association.
Robert is passionate about the education of young musicians and along with the NCO and RCMJD, he conducts at Twyford CofE High School, Ealing Schools Symphony Orchestra and teaches at Pangbourne College.
When time allows Robert works as a keyboard player, performing mainly as a chamber musician and accompanist. He spent six years as accompanist for Pangbourne Choral Society and has been the orchestral pianist for the European Union Youth Orchestra, with whom he toured Europe in 2011. At the RCM he studies Harpsichord with Terence Charlston.
Robert’s scholarship at the RCM is generously funded by the H R Taylor Trust.
Julia Frape – Leader
Julia Frape was appointed leader of the Cambridge String Players in April 2003. She has been a professional violinist for 20 years, having studied at the Royal Academy of Music. Her teachers included Christopher Hirons and Trevor Williams.
She has played regularly with most of the country’s principal orchestras, in particular the City of London Sinfonia, the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Sinfonia and the Rambert Dance Company.
Julia is a member of the Windsor String Quartet and is currently Head of Strings at the Perse School in Cambridge.
Lesley Fotherby – Resident Artist
Lesley Fotherby trained in art at colleges in Bath and London and at Leicester University after which she taught in secondary schools, worked in a Young Adults Centre and tutored adult education classes before becoming a full-time painter. She has been gallery artist with Chris Beetles Gallery since the 1980s and exhibits there regularly. Chris Beetles exhibits work by contemporary artists, together with that of 19th century watercolourists and illustrators. Further details can be found on the following website: www.chrisbeetles.com
The work Lesley is doing in preparation for her next exhibition (Chris Beetles Gallery, Ryder Street, St James’s, London) is mostly in oils and watercolour and covers a variety of subjects from landscapes to performers. It will feature many sea pictures and a variety of subjects from landscape to performers. The landscape work is influenced by where she has lived, from the Yorkshire Dales to South Cambridgeshire.
Lesley feels fortunate to have been able to work for many years with performers who have allowed her to sit in on their classes and rehearsals including the National Youth Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and the City of Cambridge Symphony Orchestra. She is particularly interested in movement and how to portray something transitory, be it the position of a musician in performance or the way light changes a landscape. Some of Lesley’s paintings are displayed in the foyer during the intervals of CCSO concerts.
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