Southend Philharmonic Orchestra

Paul Samuels

Paul Samuels began his association with music at 13yrs of age, studying the violin with Stanley Hewitt. At the age of 17yrs he was accepted by Trinity College of Music, London, to study with Oscar Rosen. Two years later he obtained his LTCL diploma and played in his first professional concert with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of nineteen. After also qualifying as a class music teacher Paul joined the Royal Ballet Orchestra at Sadler's Wells (now at Birmingham) later becoming sub-principal 2nd violin. At this time he also free-lanced with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and other professional groups in London. As his family grew he made the decision to become a full-time music teacher but also found time to work with Camerati and Belmonte Opera groups as musical director.

In 1991 he was appointed Head of Strings for the London Borough of Redbridge Music Service. During this time Paul Samuels started the Senior String Orchestra, conducting them on European tours and in other local concerts. He also conducted the Redbridge Music School Symphony Orchestra on a tour of Germany. In 1998 he left the Music Service to once again freelance as a violinist and private violin teacher.

Rachel Firmager

Rachel Firmager studied Music at Durham University and 'Cello at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama with Myra Chahin and later with Jane Salmon and Adrian Shepherd. She is ‘Cellist of the Bergersen Quartet and the Hilser Trio and freelances as a session and orchestral musician. As a soloist she features in several Paul Lewis film scores and in recital she has performed widely around the UK in venues such as Fairfield Hall and St. John’s Smith Square.
Other concerti she has performed are Haydn’s C Major, Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Sussex Folk Songs and Vivaldi’s Double. She currently holds teaching posts at Brighton College and Claremont School. She plays a 1740s English ‘Cello by Peter Walmsley.

Tony Orchover

At the age of 14, whilst a pupil learning the bassoon at the Newham Academy of Music, Tony was asked to conduct the string ensemble in a performance of Britten’s Simple Symphony, and the Junior Orchestra in Haydn’s Military Symphony. This was his first experience of standing in front of an orchestra.

At the age of 20, whilst a student at Trinity College of Music, Tony was invited to take over as Conductor of the Newham Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for ten years. During this period he appeared at the Royal Festival Hall and at the same time became the founder and Director of Music of the Newham Light Orchestra.

Tony’s mentors in these early years included Bernard Keefe, Sir Adrian Boult and Terence Lovett. It was Terence Lovett who invited Tony to take some rehearsals with the London Junior Orchestra, and occasionally to assist at concerts given by the London Senior Orchestra at London’s St. John’s Smith Square.

Tony’s experiences expanded to become the Musical Director of the East Ham Music and Dramatic Society and, for a while, the Barking Operatic Society and Woodford Symphony Orchestra.

After moving from London to Southend-on-Sea, Tony has been the Associate Conductor of the South Essex Youth Symphony Orchestra (SEYSO), and more recently has taken over as Director of Music to the Southend Youth Symphonic Wind Band. He is also the Principal of the Southend Saturday Music School.

Gerald Usher

Gerald Usher was educated at Southend High School and the Royal Academy of Music, graduating at Durham University before entering teaching to become Head of music at Fitzwimarc School Rayleigh.

In 1973 he was appointed Director of Music to Southend and in 1991 became Head of Music services for Essex County Council.

Gerald was the founding director of Southend Youth Orchestra, which subsequently was renamed South Essex Youth Symphony Orchestra (SEYSO). After thirty years he relinquished the post having built an enviable reputation for the orchestra as a leading ensemble for young instrumentalists, many of whom became professional musicians themselves. The orchestra performed on radio, TV, at the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall and the Usher Hall. They visited and performed in most Western European countries and on two occasions provided original music for the Royal family. Many of the pieces performed by the orchestra were written or arranged by Gerald himself.

Now retired, Gerald has returned to his Alma Mater where he works as a part time music teacher. Although he remains active in musical circles he now has time to pursue his other interests, which include the canals and waterways of England, steam railways and hill walking in Wales.

Southend Philharmonic Orchestra is pleased to welcome Gerald as it’s conductor for the December concert and is looking forward to working closely with him.

Andrew Morley

"What we heard was a marvel ... the most convincing, gripping, sheerly beautiful realisation of Gruppen that I've heard." - Sunday Times

Andrew studied conducting with Denis McCaldin at Lancaster University and subsequently won the Hertford Choral Scholarship to study with Peter Stark at Trinity College of Music (TCM). Having graduated with distinction, winning the Ricordi Conducting Prize, he is now in demand as a teacher and conductor in and around London.

At Trinity, Andrew's conducting work included Aaron Copland's ballet Appalachian Spring with the TCM Sinfonia, Heinz Holliger's experimental study in breath, Pneuma, with the TCM Wind Orchestra, and a concert of film music arranged by the late Stanley Black with the TCM Symphony Orchestra. In recognition of his successes Andrew was chosen as Trinity's entry for the intercollegiate Harriet Cohen Memorial Awards.

Recent performances include Malcolm Arnold's Symphony No. 3, Berlioz's Harold in Italy with the talented violist Samuel Burstin and a charity performance of Stockhausen's rarely performed Gruppen for three orchestras. In addition he has held teaching posts at Lancaster University, Trinity College of Music and currently works with the Trinity College of Music Junior Choir, the Stoneleigh Choral Society, The Wallace Ensemble, St. Paul's Sinfonia and the Southampton University Sinfonietta. In February 2004 Andrew was awarded first prize at the Allianz-Cornhill Musical Insurance Conducting Competition having received unanimous votes from both jury and orchestra.

Oliver Smith

Oliver Smith was born in Bromley in Kent, and began playing the French Horn at the age of twelve. During his school career he played in the Bromley Youth Orchestra and Wind Band during some of their successful European visits under the leadership of Norman Tropman.

Oliver studied veterinary medicine at the Royal (William Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh and played in the University Orchestra. In 1986 he qualified as a veterinary surgeon and after eighteen months working in Grimsby came to work in a practice in Southend. Since then he has played in several local ensembles and has been Principal horn in the Southend Philharmonic Orchestra since 1989.

Anna Cleworth

Anna Cleworth began playing the violin at the age of 5. She studied music at Edinburgh University and then did a masters degree in violin performance at the University of Illinois. Anna currently divides her time between teaching and freelancing in London, performing with orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

Angharad Davies

Angharad is a violinist based in London. She freelances, teaches and composes.
She is especially active on the European New Music and Improvisation scene. 2006
included trips to Vancouver, Sao Paolo, Zurich and Malta with groups such as
Apartment House, experimental actress Kazuko Hohki and first performances of
commissioned solo works by Tim Parkinson and James Saunders. She is indebted to
her violin studies with Charles-Andre Linale and Howard Davis.

Shalinee Jayatilaka

Shalinee Jayatilaka was born in Sri Lanka and had her early musical training there. She started piano at the age of seven and violin a year later. She had lessons with Sri Lanka’s celebrated musicians Canace Ekanyake on piano and the late Douglas Ferdinand on violin and achieved a very high standard of playing on both instruments.

Shalinee then went on to university to complete her studies and qualified as a Doctor of Medicine.

In 1977 Shalinee and her family came to England and in 1985 she continued her piano studies with Honor Jackson and obtained the diplomas ALCM, LGSM, ARCM and LRAM soon after. Shalinee has given many local recitals and played at various charity events.

Shalinee has been a member of Southend Philharmonic Orchestra since 1985 and Principal Second Violin since 1989. She has also played with other local orchestras over the years.

Shalinee continues to practise locally as a General Practitioner.

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