Anna Downes

Name:	Anna Downes
Location:	Kidderminster United Kingdom DY10
Contact:	07967728588 www.annadownes.moonfruit.com Send Anna Downes a message

Additional Info:

Having been born into a family of professional musicians, Anna started her studies at an early age. In 1998, after receiving lessons from Malcom Latcham of The Academy of St Martin in the Fields, she graduated from the University of Exeter with an honours degree in music. As an student, she played with The English Mozart Players and also appeared as a soloist on BBC radio 2. On returning to the Midlands Anna studied violin with David Gregory of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, for a number of years .

Anna enjoys a busy career as a free-lance violinist. Between 1998 and 2005 she played regularly with Natonal Musicians Symphony Orchestra and Queen's Park Sinfonia. More recently she has performed with English Symphony Orchestra in concerts at Worcester and Gloucester Cathedrals, and with National Symphony Orchestra in performances with Katherine Jenkins and Russell Watson

Anna is in regular demand as a guest leader. Recent engagements have included leading the Elgar Camerata in a performance of Bach's B minor mass with the Elgar Chorale in Pershore Abbey, conducted by Donald Hunt, and the Beauchamp Sinfonietta in a 'Gala Night' as part of the Evesham Festival of Music. She has also been invited to lead Sinfonia of Birmingham, Heart of England Orchestra and Vivaldi Camerata on many occasions.

Anna is the lead violinist with both VLO String Quartet and the Lynwood Lea Quartet, playing regularly at weddings, functions and coporate events. She also deputises for Wignornia String Quartet, Astaria String Quartet and Reflection Strings on a regular basis.

In 2000, Anna completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Secondary Education. She started her teaching career at King's School in Wolverhampton before becoming Head of Music at The Crestwood School in Kingswinford. She currently holds the position of Head of Instrumental Studies at Old Swinford Hospital, a boarding school in Stourbridge, West Midlands.

In 2001 Anna founded Central England Ensemble which is made up of postgraduate musicians, music students and other talented musicians. The group has two main aims: to promote the music of Midlands composers and to provide a high standard performance platform for young talented musicians in the area. Since its conception CEE has performed over fifty concerts with a work by a Midlands based composer in each one. The orchestra has also toured in Northern Germany and in Paris, giving concerts in prestigious venues such as La Madeleine. The orchestra also runs its own Concerto Competition. In 2008 the first winner was Sarah Sew, playing Elgar's Violin Concerto and the second, in 2010 was Martyn Jackson, playng Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.

In addition to this, as a former leader of Midland Youth Orchestra (2000-2003), and recipient of the James Langley Memorial Award (2000), Anna has just been appointed as a Trustee of the James Langley Memorial Trust in recognition of her education and communitty work.

Anna lives in Worcestershire with her husband, Mike, and two very lively young sons, Oscar and Maxwell.

Additional Specialisms:

Orchestral Playing, Session Work, Solo Performance

Anna Downes

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