Stephanie
Stef began playing violin from an early age and graduated from Leeds College of Music with a BA (Hons) majoring in performance, composition and improvisation. Although classically trained by expert teachers including Brian Stait, Stef has a broad palette of musical influences to draw upon including; Folk, Gypsy Jazz and contemporary improvisation. Currently residing in Amersham, Stef spends her time as a freelance violinist as well as working for Buckinghamshire Music Service where she provides peripatetic teaching and orchestral workshop co-ordination.

In conjunction with a busy performance and teaching schedule, Stef is the leader of Indigo Strings, a vibrant string quartet with whom she has performed extensively in a wide range of recording and performance situations. As a member of the Arion Orchestra, Stef regularly performs contemporary string repertoire with some of the finest young players in the country. In addition to these commitments Stef plays, writes and arranges for the folk/rock band Friction.

Stef has played in many prestigious venues and festivals including the Queen Victoria Ship; Wembley Arena; Whitby Folk Festival, the Ritz and many of the bustling folk clubs around the UK. Not only a gifted violinist, Stef is an accomplished arranger for strings and has also obtained a great deal of orchestral conducting experience through her leadership of youth orchestra’s.

Emily
Emily was born into a musical family and began playing piano at the age of 5 and violin at 6. Though she continues to play and teach piano, violin became her first love and in 2004 she graduated from the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music (hons) and a Post-Graduate Diploma, both majoring on the violin.

Emily has studied with renowned pedagogue Professor Jan Sedivka, Peter Tanfield of the Australian String Quartet, Barbara JaneGilby (Concert-master Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra) and Dr Marina Phillips.

Emily joined the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra at the age of 10, spending 3 years as leader, and has enjoyed playing in ensembles ever since. She has played with string, chamber and symphony orchestras both in Australia and London, and was a member of the Wignall String Quartet in Australia. Emily’s varied musical tastes have also led her to play salsa music with Cuban-style Charanga Orquesta Son del Sur, tour Canada, the US and Europe with folk/jazz/roots artist Emaline Delapaix, and play for musicals including, Oklahoma, Into the Woods and Les Miserables.

Anna
Anna was born in Hyvinkää, Finland. She studied at Trinity College of Music and Royal Academy of Music (London), where she completed her Masters Degree in 2006, studying violin with OBE Erich Gruenberg and viola with Yuko Inoue.

In autumn 2001 Anna played three concerts as a kantele soloist for the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Other highlights have included performing to the President of Finland and Princess Alexandra in London (2004), as well as a pre-concert recital with her violin duo The Riverside Fiddlers at the Royal Festival Hall, as a part of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s Finnish Concert Series.

In February 2006 Anna performed a violin duo with the co-leader of the London Symphony Orchestra, Carmine Lauri, at the Barbican as part of the Genius of the Violin Festival.

Anna enjoys session work and has recorded film music (Abbey Road Studios), classical CD's for various labels, and music for TV. Other session work has included recording with the prominent jazz pianist Paddy Milner and pop recordings with various artists.

Anna enjoys a busy freelance career combining chamber music, session work and teaching. Amongst her chamber music collaborations, Anna engages in recital work with her clarinet trio, Trio Animé (vln/vla, cln & pno), as well as playing in and managing her own function group.

Magda
Magda was born in Poznan, Poland in 1981. She started playing the cello at the age of 7 at the T. Szeligowski Primary School of Music. She continued her education at M.Karlowicz Music School receiving the highest mark for her final recitals. In 2005 Magda graduated from the I. J. Paderewski Music Academy in Poznan gaining the Masters degree with a distinction. She then continued studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London with the renowned soloist and teacher – Mats Lidstrom, completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Performance with 1st class honours.

Magda has also participated in many masterclasses with world-known musicians such as Z. Nelsova, V. Yagling, W. Despalij, S. Doane, R. Cohen, H.Roberts, L. Gorokhov, A. Bauer, S. Jablonski, T. Strahl.

She has given solo and chamber music recitals throughout Poland and Europe, and appeared as a soloist playing concertos by Schumann, Shostakovich, Haydn, Tchaikovsky with Polish orchestras.

Magda has also received scholarships and awards such as Polish Minister of Culture Scholarship (2000-2006) and I. J. Paderewski Academy of Music Award for the best student and Concerto Prize, The Royal Academy of Music Scholarship (2005-2007) as well as beeing a prize-winner at the national and international competitions including Wilkomirski International Competition for Young Cellists, International Bacewicz Chamber Music Competition, International Competition for Cello Solo, National Danczowski Cello Competition.