Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
![[Academy Ensemble]](images/2004/rsamd240.jpg)
Nicola Long, clarinet
Neil Strachan, bassoon
Robert Churchill, horn
Stephanie Brough*, violin
Amira Bedrush McDonald**, violin
Jonna Inge, viola
Elizabeth Webster, cello
Genna Spinks, double bass
Natalia Ossentchakova, piano
* Beethoven ** Schubert
NATALIA OSSENTCHAKOVA (piano) was born in 1979 in St. Petersburg, Russia. From 1985 to 1997 she studied at the Special Music School of State St. Petersburg Conservatory from which she graduated with a Silver Medal. In 1997, Natalia continued her studies at the St. Petersburg State Conservatory studying piano under Professor N. M. Eismont and, in 2002, graduated with a first class diploma. Natalia then became a student at the University of Glasgow where she has since graduated as a BMus with a First-class Honours Degree. Natalia is currently studying for her Masters Degree in Performance with Philip Jenkins, Head of Keyboard Studies at the RSAMD.
Natalia has participated in numerous international competitions throughout Germany, Italy, Russia and the UK. In 1998, she gained a final diploma and also fifth place at the International Piano Competition in Pinerolo, Italy. Whilst in her native Russia, she also took part in many music festivals. Natalia has extensive performance experience that includes recitals in France, Russia, USA, Germany and Scotland. As well as being a solo artist, she enjoys playing with ensemble performers and singers.
AMIRA BEDRUSH-MCDONALD (violin) is currently a fourth year student at the RSAMD, where she has studied violin with Jerre Gibson and Simon Fischer. She has performed in a wide range of activities, and has led the RSAMD Symphony Orchestra in both symphonic and operatic repertoire. She has won several awards and prizes, including the Governors' Recital Prize for Strings and the Robert Highgate Violin prize and is a scholar of the ABRSM. Amira has given several recitals both within and outside the RSAMD, and will shortly be appearing as soloist with the RSAMD Junior Academy. She has worked professionally with several organisations including, most recently, the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, and she intends to continue with postgraduate study at the RSAMD.
Amira Bedrush-McDonald is playing an English violin built in 1750-60 generously donated to the RSAMD by the Macpherson family.
JONNA INGE (viola) hails from Stockholm and is currently in her fourth year of the BMus course at the RSAMD where she is studying voice and viola. She has performed in various vocal ensembles, as well as jazz groups and string quartets, throughout Sweden and the UK. This has led to her to win such prizes as the RSAMD Governors' Chamber Music competition and the Viola Prize 2003. As a soloist she has performed concerti within and outside the RSAMD including a recent and highly-acclaimed performance of Mozart Sinfonia Concertante. Jonna has worked with members of the LPO, Endellion Quartet, Scottish Opera, played with the SCO and participated in the Mendelssohn on Mull festival on numerous occasions. In addition to this she has participated in masterclasses with Roger Chase, Phillip Dukes and Nobuko Imai, and is currently studying viola with Catherine Marwood. After her undergraduate degree at RSAMD, Jonna hopes to continue her studies abroad.
ELIZABETH WEBSTER (cello) was born in Fife in 1981 and has been studying the cello since the age of eight. She has just completed a BMus Performance degree at the RSAMD under the direction of Kim Bak Dinitzen and William Conway. Elizabeth was awarded scholarships from the Caird Trust and the Caroline Fitzmaurice Trust which have enabled her to undertake a PGDipMus at the RSAMD, studying with Rudi De Groote. During her studies at the Academy she has taken part in many master classes under the direction of Robert Cohen, Malcolm Martineau, the Allegri, Alberni and Henschel Quartets, the Leopold String Trio and with members of the Nash Ensemble.
Elizabeth is a former member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and last year was awarded a reserve place with the European Union Youth Orchestra. She has played with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Later in the year Elizabeth will play at the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival and she will also take part in a master class course with the renowned cellist, Andreas Goritski.
GENNA SPINKS (double bass), from Stonehaven in the NE of Scotland, started learning bass at the age of seven and her first orchestral experience came at the age of nine with the National Children's Orchestra. Now in her third year of study with Iain Crawford at the RSAMD, she enjoys both solo and chamber work and in the past has performed at the Scottish International Bass Festival and at the Cantilena on Islay chamber music festival, where she will be returning this summer.
NICOLA LONG (clarinet) studies at the RSAMD with John Cushing (principal clarinet in the RSNO) and has twice been a finalist in both the Solo and Chamber Governors' Prize competitions and was also selected to perform with the London Sinfonietta during their recent concert series. She has participated in public master-classes with Antony Pay, Richard Hosford, Joan Lluna, Gervase D'Payer, Malcom Martinu, and Mark Van der Weil.
Nicola has appeared in many prestigious venues in the UK with much success as both soloist and as a chamber musician and performs regularly with the Scottish Clarinet Quartet. A keen participant in the RSAMD's out-reach programme, she is particularly dedicated to the promotion of musical education for children and also performs for the Charity for Music in Hospitals.
NEIL STRACHAN (bassoon) originally comes from Glasgow (one of the reasons he chose to study at the RSAMD), and is currently in his final year doing a PGDip (Performance). He took up the bassoon at the relatively late age of 16 while he was a first study piano player at the Junior Department of the RSAMD and has since studied with Janet Bloxwich, Martin Gatt and Alison Green. Whilst at the RSAMD Neil has been actively involved in many of the orchestras and ensembles and has covered a wide range of styles and repertoire. He is looking forward to studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama next session.
ROBERT CHURCHILL (horn) is originally from Lancaster and is undertaking a postgraduate course at the RSAMD, currently studying with Robert Cook (principal horn of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra) and David McClenaghan (principal horn of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra). As well as taking an active part in the chamber and orchestral programme at the Academy, he has taken part in several courses at the Britten-Pears School, and has also worked with the Carl Rosa Opera Company.
STEPHANIE BROUGH (violin) is currently studying with Anthony Moffat for a Postgraduate Diploma after graduating in July 2003 with a BMus (Hons). Formerly a pupil of Jerre Gibson, she was initially awarded the Elizabeth MacLean Entrance Scholarship and more recently won the Bessie Spence Prize. She participated in the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival on violin and viola in 2002, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's Apprenticeship Scheme in 2003 and went on to lead the RSAMD Symphony Orchestra in an orchestral concert of the Ballet Sleeping Beauty.
She is a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and Camerata Scotland, and has performed at venues which include the Royal Albert Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus and at the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival. In 2004 she represented NYOS in an anniversary concert in Florence to commemorate the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana and the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole.