CAMBRIDGE YOUTH MUSIC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of the Harp School
After gaining a music degree from Sheffield University, Chris Hankin attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as a postgraduate. She then continued her flute studies with Jonathan Snowden and she now has a very varied and successful freelance career.
As a teacher and flute educator, Chris is much in demand. Currently she is Professor of Flute at both the London College of Music and at Brunel University.
As a soloist, she made her Purcell Room debut to much critical acclaim and she now gives recitals with the versatile pianist Timothy Murray. The focus is on the lesser-known aspects of the flute repertoire and the recent release of their CD "The Feminine Flute" featuring the works of twentieth century women composers such as Arrieu, Boulanger and Maconchy has been extremely well received. Radio 3 recently included their recording of Chaminade's Serenade des Etioles in a Composer of the Week programme.
As an orchestral player Chris is also much in demand. She plays regularly with the highly acclaimed London Chamber Orchestra and is a valued member of the Orchestra of St Johns. She has played with most of the London orchestras and spent four years working in Cardiff with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. She is also guest principal flute with both the London Concert Orchestra and the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra. She has a wide range of experience in opera and ballet, working extensively with touring companies such as Birmingham Royal Ballet, which take their productions the length and breadth of the country. She is also very happy working in West End theatre and is to be heard on the recent cast album of Fiddler on the Roof.
John Shayler was Head of String Instrument Teaching for Bedfordshire Music Service until his retirement in 2002. John's musical life began with violin lessons at Bedford School with Helena Langford. While studying sociology at Sussex University, he had lessons at the Guildhall School of Music with Joan Spencer, who persuaded him to do a postgraduate year full-time.
John's association with Bedfordshire Youth Music began in 1968, when he led the then new County Youth Orchestra, before becoming coach to the violins. After the Guildhall the then new Music Advisor, Michael Rose, offered John a violin teaching job with the Authority, and after a year John became Head of String Instrument Teaching, a post he held until 2002.
John co-founded Beds. Youth Opera in 1980 as Musical director. As well as his association with Bedfordshire, John is International Liaison Officer of the European String Teachers' Association, having been a member of the Management Committee for many years.
Sixteen year-old Parker Ramsay, of Dickson County, Tennessee, is a year twelve student at King's School, Ely, where he serves as Sixth Form Organ Scholar at Ely Cathedral, and is recipient of the School's music scholarship.
Parker was awarded First Prize in 2007 Senior Division and 2006 Junior Division Music Teachers National Association National Composition Competitions in the United States,
Job Titles:
- Director of the Junior Department at the Royal College of Music
Peter Hewitt has been Director of the Junior Department at the Royal College of Music since Jan 1990, overseeing the training of talented young musicians aged 8-18 from all over UK. He was formerly Director of Music at Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls, Elstree and started his teaching career at Latymer School, Edmonton in 1974.
Peter trained as a chorister at Worcester Cathedral and later studied Music at Durham, with postgraduate work at Cambridge. He was Artistic Director of the St Albans International Organ Festival 1995-1999 and was a member (& Chairman) of James Wood's New London Chamber Choir for many years. With them he performed all over Europe and recorded and broadcast a huge range of repertoire, particularly contemporary music.
He is a Diploma Examiner for the ABRSM and an experienced festival adjudicator. He has also been a Governor of The Royal Society of Musicians and on the Musicians in Education Committee of the ISM. He is on the Maisie Lewis Concerts committee of the Worshipful Company of Musicians and is a member of ESTA.