The King’s School  hosted a Music Masterclass and was delighted and honoured to welcome musicians from the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra to lead the masterclass with King’s pupils on Thursday 17th November.

Works studied were: Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Mozart’s Violin Concerto in G and Oboe Concerto by Cimarosa.

Visiting and taking the masterclass from the BBC Phil were:

Steven Callow read music at London University and began his career as a cellist with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. He moved to Manchester in 1988 to join the BBC Philharmonic and was promoted to Sub Principal Cello with that orchestra in 1991.

Julian Gregory is a member of the 1^st violin section of the BBC Philharmonic. He studied at Chetham’s School of Music and the RNCM with Maurice Clare and Malcolm Layfield, and has been a member of the BBC Philharmonic since the Eighties.

Gillian Callow studied oboe with Geoffrey Brown at the Guildhall School of Music in London. During her time there she became a member of the European Community Youth Orchestra and began to work as a freelance oboist with many orchestras and ensembles. Her first full time post was with Opera North where she began to develop her love for the Cor Anglais. She subsequently was appointed Principal Cor Anglais in the BBC Philharmonic. Widely regarded as one of the finest Cor Anglais players in the country Gill has worked with many top orchestras including the LSO, LPO, the Philharmonia and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House where she played the major solo in Tristan and Isolde.

Pupils: Lydia Sowden (4CM), Jeremy Telford (L6NS), Terence Au (L6JK) were chosen to be involved in the masterclass and experience at firsthand teaching from the famous BBC musicians. Miriam Bowen (U6SW), Lydia Carr (L6BH), Sean O’Doherty (U6ML) and Raymond Williams (U6SP) also played in the string ensemble accompanying the Pergolesi.