Biography
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Anna was born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, and began learning the cello through her local Music Service. During her secondary school years, she attended the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying with Penelope Lynex and Ben Davies, and in 2003 was awarded the Louise Band Prize for her contribution to the Department.
In July 2008, Anna graduated with a BMus(Hons) degree from the Royal Northern College of Music, where she studied with Emma Ferrand. Whilst a student at the College, she performed in a public masterclass with the internationally-renowned cellist Ralph Kirshbaum and also participated in several of the RNCM’s competitions, including the Salon Prize and the Barbirolli Prize for Violoncello. Anna took part in many of the College ensembles, playing repertoire ranging from Hindemith’s ‘Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes of Weber’ to Muffat’s ‘Sonata for Strings and Basso Continuo’ (on Baroque cello). She participated in the RNCM Symphony Orchestra concert in the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, playing Messiaen’s ‘Turangulila’ Symphony under Pascal Rophé.
Since September 2008, Anna has been undertaking a year-long internship at the RNCM in the Orchestra and Ensembles department; a role for which she was particularly selected following work done as part of her Undergraduate Supporting Professional Studies course. In addition, she performs regularly as a freelance cellist; most recently as a member of the National Symphony Orchestra in a number of concerts with singer Katherine Jenkins. In November 2008, Anna was the principal cellist in performances of Verdi’s ‘Nabucco’ with Bolton-based ‘Opera 74’ and the following month took the solo continuo part in Handel’s ‘Messiah’ in a performance by the Prestbury Choral Society. She has also participated in several Summer Proms concerts as part of the English National Orchestra, under the direction of concert-master Jae Alexander, and with artists such as Hayley Westenra, Aled Jones and Lesley Garrett.
Anna enjoys both listening to and playing an eclectic mix of musical styles. From 2003 to 2008 she was a member of local acoustic/folk band Tramps and Horses, with whom she appeared on Channel M and Manchester FM radio and also recorded an album. She currently plays with folk singer/song-writer Becca Williams as a founder member of her band Becca and the Broken Biscuits. Anna has performed in a number of prestigious venues across the Northwest, including the M.E.N. Arena, the N.I.A. in Birmingham and Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall; and with such diverse artists as Russell Watson and Kanye West.
In September 2009, Anna will return to the RNCM to do a 2-year Masters course, with a focus on Orchestral Studies, in order to further advance both her individual playing and orchestral technique. She hopes to continue working as a freelance musician and, subsequently, to join one of the country’s leading orchestras.