Meet the Team
Ms Madeline Kam studied both piano performance and pedagogy in the United States. She furthered her studies and attained CT ABRSM, ARSM, DipABRSM (Piano Teaching) and LRSM (Performing and Teaching) in Hong Kong. Madeline is the first CT ABRSM holder candidate in Asia to obtain the professional qualification of FRSM (Music Education).
Madeline mentors post-graduate pianists at the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Madeline is a collaborative pianist and frequently performs with instrumentalists from the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. For her Fellowship dissertation Madeline researched piano teaching and learning styles in mainland China in a comparative study with Western influenced methodologies in Hong Kong. Madeline has worked for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, variously as a simultaneous Interpreter from English to Cantonese and to Mandarin at more than 150 teacher seminars, the HR manager for the ABRSM Hong Kong youth orchestra for gifted and talented players, ‘The Celebration Symphony orchestra’ and as an Interpreter in the examination room for music examiners and candidates.
Madeline currently serves as the Development Director for China and South-east Asia for the European String Teacher Association and, along with Bill Thomson, has travelled throughout mainland China as a co-presenter for Faber Music’s Paul Harris piano publications. Madeline has performed and presented at ABRSM Asia Conferences in Singapore, Chiang Mai (in Northern Thailand) and performed the Goldberg Variations on a European harpsichord, procured from a Royal Palace, in Bangkok. Madeline’s Master’s degree, from the University of Sheffield, is in music education
Philip enjoys a career in music with roles in senior management, performance and education. He is Chief Executive of ESTA (UK), Director of Young Grittleton Chamber Music Courses, Joint Managing Director of Part Play LTD and a member of the 1st violin section of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.
His playing career includes performing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Opera House, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Philip loves musicals and has played frequently in London’s West End for shows such as Chicago, Phantom of the Opera, Carousel, Showboat, West Side Story. He has also performed on the soundtracks for numerous TV dramas and films, such as Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
As an educator Philip has held teaching posts at several independent schools and presented at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. In his role as CEO of ESTA UK Philip is responsible for the implementation of a range of professional development training courses for instrumental teachers including a fully accredited master’s degree in instrumental pedagogy. These courses have become highly valued in teacher development receiving excellent feedback from both students and independent examiners.
Philip is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and has an MBA.
Born in Hong Kong, Stephen Lam is recently selected by Riccardo Muti to participate in opera production of his Italian Opera Academy. Described as “undoubtedly a man of passion who lives for the music…” (Adam Rozlach, Polish Radio), he is highly commended by Zubin Mehta and Christoph Eschenbach after watching his live performances. Lam is currently the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Ponte Orchestra and Singers (Hong Kong) and Ponte London Orchestra (UK), Associate Conductor of the Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra (Macau), and music director of St. Paul’s College.
Lam has worked with orchestras around the world, including the Vienna Radio Orchestra, St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic (Russia), King’s Philharmonic (London), Orchestra de Royal Opera de Liege-Wallonie (Belgium), Ravenna Opera House (Italy), Chamber Ensemble of Orchestra Cadaques (Spain) and Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra (Poland). Lam has also received critical success as an operatic conductor, including Carmen, Die lustige Witwe, Cosi fan tutti, Le nozze di Figaro, La bohème and Falstaff.
Lam is also a dedicated educator and ardent advocate of community outreach, and his collaboration with young musicians has been widely praised. He is currently lecturer of Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and regular guest professor and conductor in Sichuan Music Conservatory in China. He was also the lecturer and of United International College between Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University between 2019 to 2021.
He was a member of the jury at the 2018 Belt & Road World Choir Festival, Maribor European Grand Prix in Slovenia, Czech Music Festival in Hradec Kralove, and Artistic Co-ordinator of 2019 World Choral Conducting Competition.
Lam studied conducting at the prestigious University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he was one of the last students of Uros Lajovic, Ordner Edwin, and Konrad Leitner, and also one of the few selected to conduct the Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna at the Musikverein. An extraordinary multifaceted musician, Lam also holds a Bachelor degree of Environmental Science from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a Master of Arts in Literary and Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong.
BMus(hons), MMus(RNCM), PG Cert, PGCE, Dalcroze Teaching certificate
Kate recently relocated to Hong Kong from Manchester, UK, where she was the lead string teacher for the city’s music service, and managed Manchester’s music centre programme. She was director of Manchester Youth String Orchestra (MYSO) for 15 years.
Kate studied modern and baroque violin at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and completed her postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), gaining a PGCE in Specialist String Teaching from the award-winning Junior Strings Project, and a Master’s degree in violin performance.
A passionate believer that high quality music education should be available to all young people, Kate oversaw the launch of the Awards for Young Musicians Furthering Talent programme in Manchester, providing lessons and bursaries for 60 children from low-income families.
In high demand as a violin teacher and ensemble director in schools, Kate was also a subject mentor for the Specialist Instrumental Teaching PGCE at Manchester Metropolitan University and supported RNCM undergraduate pedagogy students with work experience placements.
Kate particularly enjoys planning ambitious projects that offer exciting and inspiring opportunities for young musicians to perform together. Notable recent highlights include joint performances from Manchester Youth String Orchestra and Manchester Youth Steel Pan Orchestra, playing in the procession at Manchester Caribbean Carnival, opening Manchester Camerata’s celebration of local community, ‘The People Make The Place’, and facilitating a collaboration between MYSO and Manchester Hip Hop Archive for Manchester International Festival 2023.
Kate has a varied freelance performing career, playing in orchestras, pop bands, early music and folk ensembles. She has played in some of the UK’s most prestigious concert halls and on festival stages, and her recordings have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and BBC 6 music.
Aniela received concurrent specialist music instruction at the Music School of Douglas Academy and the Junior Department of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before continuing her studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Aniela has over two decades of professional playing and teaching experience. She teaches privately, and particularly enjoys coaching ensembles of young players. Aniela has run violin classes, orchestral clinics and ensembles in many local and international schools in Hong Kong, and is currently working with students at the Canadian International School and the International Waldorf School.
She is experienced in working with children with Special Educational Needs and is a certified Early Childhood Music Educator.
In 2017, Aniela founded a music programme dedicated to bringing music education to underprivileged children in Cambodia, and has held masterclasses in Japan in conjunction with Friends of El Sistema Japan. In 2021 she was appointed Leader of the SAR Philharmonic Orchestra and serves on the orchestra committee. She has been involved in their charitable and community work since 2011.
Aniela is the Music Director at Six Cat Studios, and the award winning author of ‘The Accidental Orchestra’ and ‘Picnic Pandaemonium’ from The Dundercats storybook series. She creates music education materials for everyone to learn from and enjoy, using these to support the work of music charities around the world.
Aniela is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Chris Hoyle is Head of the School of Strings at the RNCM and enjoys a busy life as a chamber musician, orchestral player and teacher.
He studied with Alexander Baillie and, at the age of 16, he entered the RNCM to study with Raphael Sommer. He appeared in Paul Tortelier’s televised masterclasses for the BBC and subsequently won scholarships enabling him to continue studying with both Paul and Maud Tortelier in France.
He has worked with many of the UK’s finest orchestras, including the BBC Philharmonic, of which he was a member for many years. He also plays as Guest Principal Cello with several orchestras and he has given solo recitals nationwide including a performance of Schnittke’s Cello Sonata to the composer as part of the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. He has performed widely as a chamber musician in the McFarlane String Quartet, Psappha and several small ensembles within the BBC. In these roles, he has frequently broadcast for radio and TV. Chris plays a prize-winning cello made by Eero Haahti in Paris.
Catherine Yates is Deputy Head of the School of Strings at the RNCM. She began her musical studies with Marion Hillier, before going on to study at Chetham’s School of Music and the RNCM. Here, her teachers included Malcolm Layfield and Lydia Mordkovich. Further training included courses at Yale University and the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies in Aldeburgh. In 1989 she became a member of the Sorrel Quartet which was formed at the RNCM under the tutelage of Dr Christopher Rowland and worked regularly with members of the Vermeer, Borodin, Alban Berg and Allegri Quartets.
The Quartet went on to become one of Britain’s foremost ensembles, performing extensively both at home and abroad and broadcasting regularly on BBC Radio, and a long association with Chandos Records saw the recording of twelve discs. These include the complete Quartets of Shostakovich, all the major quartet works of Britten and a critically acclaimed disc of the Elgar Quartet and Piano Quintet, with pianist Ian Brown.
Catherine’s career took a sharp change of direction in 2007, with her appointment as Principal Second Violin with the Hallé. She held this position for six years, combining symphony orchestra life with a busy programme of teaching and chamber music, both as violinist and viola player. After leaving the Halle, she took up her current position at the RNCM whilst continuing to perform regularly as Guest Principal with many leading orchestras, including BBC Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia and Welsh National Opera. She continues to fuel her passion for chamber music and is involved with a number of charitable organisations that support young musicians
Violist, educator, researcher and philanthropist Louise Lansdown has in September 2023 started new roles at three UK institutions: Assistant Head of Strings (viola) at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Professor of viola and chamber music at the Yehudi Menuhin School (YMS) and Visiting Tutor in Viola at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC).
Prior to this, Louise was Head of Strings at RBC (2012-2023) after holding the position of Senior Lecturer at the RNCM (2001-2012). Louise is the founder and Artistic Director of the Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition and Festival, launched at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in October 2014 as well as the founder and President of the British Viola Society https://www.britishviolasociety.co.uk/
Louise is also the founder of The BIG Viola Project (2023). In September 2023 the project was launched in five schools and hubs across the UK, with plans to expand exponentially. The project is being supported by the Royal Northern College of Music, Stringers of London and Edinburgh and the British Viola Society.
Louise, along with her viola students is the founder of a major distance learning education project that the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire runs in collaboration with the Morris Isaacson Centre for Music in Soweto, South Africa called “ARCO”. The project was launched in July 2015 and was nominated for a guardian internationalization award in 2018 and a BASA22 Award in 2019 (Business and Arts South Africa). Louise Launched ARCO India in 2021, in collaboration with KM Music Conservatory, AR Rahman Foundation and the Sunshine Orchestra.
She is a trustee for the National Youth String Orchestra, Quartet of Peace, and Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, and directs the Aronowitz Viola Course based at Blisland, Cornwall.
She plays on a French Viola c.1750 and 1890 Sartory bow, both previously belonging to the South African violist Cecil Aronowitz. She has recently also acquired a 2018 Antoine Gourdon viola. Louise plays mostly chamber music and solo concerts, collaborating with violists and other musicians across the world. She commissions new music for the viola and concocts hair brain schemes to perform music by Paul Hindemith and much unknown viola music, bringing the viola to many unsuspecting and innocent people. She is a member of the South African “Ubuntu Ensemble” and Principal Violist of the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra. Louise will soon be recording on Meridian Records unpublished, unknown music for viola by South African composers.
Welsh violinist Rhys Watkins has an established career as soloist, recitalist and orchestral leader. Rhys graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2005 and became a member of the first violin section of the London Symphony Orchestra in 2009. Rhys has performed as a concerto soloist with the LSO in both the Barbican Centre and LSO St. Luke’s and has also represented the orchestra by giving recitals in embassies throughout the world including Beijing, Tokyo, New York, Madrid and Kuwait. Rhys has been a finalist and prize-winner in several major international competitions including the Jeunesses Musicales International Violin Competition (Belgrade) and the Paganini International Violin Competition (Moscow). Rhys is a member of the award-winning Artea String Quartet with whom he has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room and BBC Proms. The Artea Quartet have made numerous live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and have recorded several CDs of the Mendelssohn and Schubert quartets under the Champs Hill label to great critical acclaim.
Rowena Calvert leads an enormously varied and enjoyable career as a soloist and chamber musician.
As a founding member of the Cavaleri String Quartet, highlights include first prize at the 2012 Hamburg International Chamber Music Competition, second prize at the 2014 Osaka ICMC and the ‘Special Prize’ at the Premio Paolo Borciani ICMC.
As a soloist, Rowena has performed in the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall and Queens Hall, as well as performing live on Classic FM and also Radio 3 as part of BBC Young Musicians.
Rowena taught cello and chamber music in the Royal College of Music, London, as a Leverhulme Junior Fellow and also at Oxford University, Oxford, whilst Quartet in Residence.
As an orchestral musician, Rowena performs frequently in the BBC Proms and has recorded music for multiple films including Wonder Woman, Mission Impossible and the animation ‘Up’. Most recently she has enjoyed touring as part of the band for Hans Zimmer and also Nigel Kennedy.
