Lydia applied and received scholarships to RCM, RAM and RNCM but opted for Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she is currently studying for a BMUS Hons in Viola.
She has been the principal viola player in the Royal Northern Sinfonia Young Sinfonia for 2 years, playing regular concerts at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead.
As a member of the Junior programme she performed a number of solo recitals including pieces such as the Rebecca Clarke Viola Sonata, the Glasunov Elegie for viola, Vaughan Williams’ Suite for viola and the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto.
A current member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain she has performed works with a number of other national and regional orchestras including Sibelius’ 3rd symphony and Lizst’s ‘Les Preludes’ with the Newcastle University Symphony Orchestra, Puccini’s Crisantemi, Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, Bizet’s L’ Arlésienne Suite No. 1, and Finzi’s clarinet concerto (with Emma Johnson) with Orchestra North- East and is now a member of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra based in London, which is an orchestra for conservatoire students about to start their professional orchestral careers.
As a chamber musician she has performed at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music and currently the Cavallini quartet based in Guildhall with coaching from Simon Rowland- Jones, Krysia Osostowicz and Caroline Henbest, Levon Chillingham.
“In the future, I would love to have a full time job in an orchestra, whilst playing often in a string quartet. It would also be amazing to be able to perform solo works on the side as I believe having a very varied career would fulfil me musically.”
Lydia is the awardee of our new Finkel viola bow ‘Allegro’ offered to Cherubim by a local professional Bill Benham.