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Strings

Woodwind

Brass

Timpani

Strings

We feature here the Section Leaders only - 60 biographies would seem rather over the top! However, we hold biographies on many of the players, and if you particularly require biographical information about any of them as featured in concert programmes for example, please contact us using the email form on this site.

Violins

Barry Haskey, Leader.

On leaving music college in 1961 Barry Haskey joined the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO) and attended master classes with Henryk Szeryng. In 1967 he left Liverpool to take the position of Associate Leader with the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra, remaining with the orchestra until he retired in 1996. During his time with the BBC Barry Haskey led many other orchestras including the Festival Ballet, Midland Radio & Ulster Orchestras as well as the West of England Philharmonic, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London.

He has worked with the Welsh Sinfonia for many years, and has been leader of OrchestraWest since its foundation in 2006 .

Second Violins

Vyvyan Brooks

Vyvyan's first violin lessons were in Kota Kinabalu where she was born. After returning to this country she joined the National Youth Orchestra before studying at the Royal College of Music, London with Felix Kok. After leaving College she became a member of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and later the BBC Concert Orchestra. Her husband’s job took them to Manchester and Vyvyan freelanced in the area working with all the major symphony and chamber orchestras as well as Opera North.

She has also toured with singers such as Shirley Bassey and Johnny Mathis and played for many programmes for Granada Television including a decade of the annual Stars in their Eyes Competitions.

In 1998 she moved back to the South West, where she grew up. She performs with many ensembles here including a flute and string trio called Tryptych, leads the ‘Four Seasons’ Quartet, teaches the violin at Marlborough College and examines for Trinity Guildhall. She particularly enjoys the warm welcome from music lovers at OrchestraWest concerts in Taunton.

Violas

David Price

David studied the viola at the Royal Academy of Music where he won the chamber music prize and was Principal Viola. While in London he played with the Philharmonia and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras, and was Head of Strings at Dulwich College. He then took a similiar appointment at Sherborne Girls School and subsequently at Leweston School.

Presently he performs with the Arioso Quartet throughout the West Country and is Principal Viola of Orchestra West. David conducted the Sherborne Community Orchestra for many years and now directs the Bridport Chamber Orchestra.

Cellos

Joe Koos

Joseph (Joe) Koos moved to the UK from his native Hungary and studied cello with William Pleeth at the Guildhall School of Music and with Paul Tortelier in Paris. After freelancing with all the major London orchestras, he joined the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestras, and was Principal Cellist from 1969 to 1994 with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Joe plays with the Palm Court Theatre Orchestra, and is a member of the Strumenti String Quartet and the Quartetto Concertante. He teaches the cello in Canford School and at the CODA Music Centre, and frequently coaches the National Children’s Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra.

Double Basses

Martyn Owen

Martyn Owen was educated at Neath Grammar School and the University of Wales, Cardiff, where he was fortunate to study with Dr David Wynn Jones and Professor H.C. Robbins Langdon. Working alongside these two eminent musicologists enabled him to develop and further his interest in eighteenth and nineteenth century Symphonic music.

As a freelance musician he has worked with many British orchestras and musical companies and he has recorded for both television and radio. He has a diverse musical career and is equally at home in the concert hall or the recording studio. He has continued to develop his interest and commitment working with young people, conducting and directing youth orchestras. More recently he has been working with national examination boards as a consultant and advisor.

Although based in the South West, Martyn performs throughout Britain both as a bass player and conductor.

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Registered office; 4, Annecy Court, St Joseph's Field, South Road, Taunton TA1 3TE, Telephone (Company Secretary) 01380 831454.