HIGHLY STRUNG QUARTET - Key Persons
Clair began playing the violin at the age of 3 and among her teachers were David Hadwen, Walter Verdehr, Benedict Holland, Jiri Tomasek and Emanuel Hurwitz.
Clair studied at the Royal Northern College of Music then moved to America to do a Masters at Michigan State University. Whilst in America Clair played with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and lead many shows on Broadway which featured Marie Osmond and family, Jerry Lewis and Liza Minelli to name but a few.
Since returning to the UK Clair has played with many orchestras including the Orchestra of the Swan, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the BBC Philharmonic, the Halle and Northern Sinfonia. She has also performed alongside Gil Shaham, Itzak Perlman, Russel Watson and Edgar Meijer.
As a soloist Clair has played the Bach Brandenburg Concertos, Bach's Concerto for Oboe and Violin, the Mendellsohn Concerto and Schindler's List with the English Philharmonic Orchestra. Clair is principal violin of the Derby Concert Orchestra and has recently performed the Lark Ascending with them. Clair has been playing for Highly Strung since 2007.
Claire began learning the violin at the age of 8 with Shirley Smith and later studied with Nicholas Woodall, who was the Head of Strings at Bromley Youth Music Trust.
After achieving a music scholarship to Eltham College she went on to study the violin at the Royal College of Music with Rodney Friend. During her time at the RCM she performed for the Queen during a visit to the college.
After graduating from the Royal College, Claire was leader of the 2nd violins of the National Musicians Symphony Orchestra and has since been principal violin of the National Concert Orchestra, the Surrey Opera, the Eltham Community Orchestra and the London School of Economics Orchestra.
Her wide orchestral experience includes work with the the RPO, the RPO Opera Orchestra, the London Concert Orchestra and seven seasons with the Johann Strauss Orchestra with whom she has recorded a CD of Strauss music. She has also played with the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, the Milton Keynes City Orchestra, Southern Pro Musica, Orchestra of St Johns, London Pro Arte, the New London Sinfonia, the Grange Park Opera and the Carl Rosa Opera Company. Claire has played with the Northern Lights Symphony Orchestra since its inauguration in 2007. Most recently she was the solo violinist in Midland Opera's production of ‘Carmen'.
Claire has been playing for Highly Strung for over 13 years and has been a permanent member since 2007.
Job Titles:
- Priest House on the River
Sarah is a graduate of the Royal College of Music where she studied with Melissa Phelps. During her time at the RCM Sarah was principal cellist of the RCM Sinfonietta, the Symphony Orchestra and the String Ensemble with whom she performed the Tchaikovsky's ‘Souvenir de Florence' alongside Gordan Nicolich (leader of the London Symphony Orchestra). Sarah also studied in Turin with Liza Wilson and attended the Post-Graduate School of Music in Saluzzo.
Sarah began studying the ‘cello aged 8 at the Minster School, Southwell, where she won numerous prizes. In 1994 Sarah joined the Nottingham Youth Orchestra and became principal cellist in 1997. In 1998, Sarah performed the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto with the NYO in Hungary and Austria and was invited back in 2001 to play the Dohnanyi Concerto in Southwell Minster. Sarah has also performed the Haydn Cello Concerto No 1 with the Southwell Minster Chamber Orchestra on several occasions.